The Redemption
by DecoyDream
Summary: With her current life in shambles, Cho Chang accidentally travels back in time to the 1940's and begins a new life. Not knowing why she wound up there or what role she plays in the future, she begins to realise that the Head Boy seems disturbingly familiar... A Cho Chang & Tom Riddle Jr story.
1. Aftermath

_**The Redemption**_

_A Cho Chang and Tom Riddle Jr story._

**Chapter 1 – Aftermath**

Cho apparated to the front of her family home in Scotland, taking in the familiar lush green scenery that surrounded her. Fishing out her wand from her robes, she brandished it towards the wrought iron gates, murmuring a string of words as the gates appeared to dissolve. She stepped through the smoke like bars, opening the front door to her home and into the hallway.

As usual, silence greeted her arrival. It was something she was use to now that her parents were gone. They had disappeared at the height of the war, no letter, no nothing to tell Cho where they went. No one at the time could help her find them due to the overwhelming need of wizards and witches to help the fight against He Who Must Not Be Named, so they had let the case go cold. After the war, Aurors had questioned the prisoners in Azkaban about the Chang family but they all stayed in a stony silence, their eyes blank and unseeing.

After an entire year of searching for them, she had lost all hope. They were gone and there was no evidence they would ever come back. To give her relatives and herself closure she held a funeral for them, placing flowers on their empty graves every Sunday. The only thing she had left was this house and gold but it felt so empty. The family home which she had grown up in and loved was now desolate, devoid of the delicious smells of steaming dumplings and congee that her mother liked to cook. There was no familiar thrum of the random magical and muggle gadgets her father had a particular interest in or the happy carefree laughter in her backyard when her cousins would all come over to play quidditch.

She had nothing left for her here, only an inheritance and a dead-beat job at the ministry that involved so much paperwork that it could probably fill in the whole of a Quidditch stadium. Since Cedric's death, she had preoccupied herself with helping Harry and the war; but now even that was over and Cho couldn't help that think that her life held little purpose or direction.

Shaking herself from her depressing thoughts, Cho removed her winter outer robes and draped them over the back of her dining room chair. She made herself a cup of tea then rifled through the envelopes that littered across her kitchen table. There was a letter from a distant Aunty, a reminder from the Daily Prophet to extend her newspaper subscription, a brochure on the newest brooms and a thick pale gold envelope addressed to her.

Curious, she flipped it open and took out the white card adorned with elegant gold swirls and inky black calligraphy.

"To Miss Cho Chang,

You are invited to celebrate the union between Harry James Potter and Ginerva Weasley at their home at…."

The rest of the letter detailed the time and place of the ceremony and reception followed by a moving picture of the happy couple with their arms loosely around one another.

Cho's first impression was surprise closely followed by genuine happiness towards the couple. Though they had not worked out, she was glad he had found someone he loved despite everything that had happened. Ginny seemed like a good person, a little bit too fiery for her liking but a good person all the same. They were a perfect match for one another.

But Cho had to admit she would be lying if she said she had gotten over Harry completely. For the first time since Cedric, she had felt safe and as close to happy as she could possibly get when with him. He was awkward but endearing, smart yet modest and brave – braver than anyone she knew. But their short relationship had ended on a misunderstanding that neither of them bothered to mend. In hindsight, Cho realised she could have handled the situation with more grace and poise; but as a teenage girl with little sense of rationale and a lot of stubbornness she believed it was all Harry's fault. She liked to think she had grown up so much over the year that maturity had come through from all the terrible events that had played out over her short life and in some way, resulted in making her a stronger person.

Tucking the card behind her empty fruit bowl, Cho walked upstairs for a well-deserved shower all the while thinking of what wedding gift to give Harry and his bride to be.

Cho sighed, slumping in her chair as she processed yet another folder of paperwork. Paper aeroplanes buzzed about her head, dropping onto her desk every now and then while flustered looking witches and wizards bustled about the office. After the war, the Ministry of Magic had redoubled its efforts in attempts to restore the Wizarding World. As a result, that meant that Cho as well as hundreds of others had to work overtime, leaving next to no time for themselves – not that she needed it. Her social life was dismal to say the least, and despite her popularity when she was at Hogwarts, none of those friends had stayed with her afterwards – Not even Marietta Edgecombe whom Cho had defended though she knew that Marietta had been wrong to betray the DA.

Making new friends at work was even harder than trying to keep in contact with her old ones. There was no time for them to converse leisurely, let alone slip out for drinks or a casual get together. After a month of no luck, Cho decided that it didn't really matter. She was there to work, not to have fun and socialize, and if she was being honest to herself, she didn't really feel like getting close to anyone. She would inevitably bring back unwelcome memories and scare them off with her tears. It had happened at Hogwarts, where after weeks and months of crying in the girl's bathroom over Cedric, her peers had appropriately labelled her 'the human hose pipe' based on her inability to rein in the water works.

It had hurt when none of her friends had jumped to her defence when someone made a rude remark about her, but it hurt even more when they stopped trying to cheer her up. All she had needed was some comfort, something to help her cope with the situation while keeping Cedric's memory alive.

A paper plane suddenly plonked itself right in front of Cho, landing gracelessly into her half empty cup of steaming coffee. Drying off the stained paper with her wand, she read the print with difficulty. It was from the Head of Department, telling her that her stack of paperwork in regards to the ex- Death Eaters was to be completed by 6PM sharp.

Realising that she only had 3 hours to go, Cho hurriedly swept up the next folder, browsing through them and recording the relevant material before signing her name at the bottom. She sifted through folder after folder, the familiar faces staring up at her. She recognised Dolohov, Malfoy and the Lestrange men, their faces gaunt and sallow; a contrast to the pride and arrogance they use to possess.

As Cho continued to read through their sentences and convictions, she couldn't help but feel that perhaps these people were not as 'evil' as much of society labelled them as. They were misled, united towards a common enemy with the promise of grandeur. It was a classic formula for war that had been repeated throughout history by muggles and magical folk alike. Yes, they had killed and tortured but perhaps it was to save themselves and their families? Fear can make people do strange and awful things.

No, they weren't evil people, Cho thought to herself as she signed her signature once more. They had been lied to, and unfortunately were so wrapped up in their ideals, that they paid the price for their convictions with their lives.

So was You Know Who evil? He did terrible things but he must have had some shred of humanity in him at some stage in his life. Cho wondered what had brought a boy to such madness. From what she had heard from Harry, he was an orphan who thirsted to prove himself in the magical world amongst his pure blooded brethren. Rather than to try and belong, he alienated himself from anyone who could have possibly cared for him.

But even as Cho continued to think about it, she surmised that his sins could not be redeemed simply because of an unpleasant upbringing. As much as she strived to see the good in everyone, she could not imagine He Who Must Not Be Named caring for anyone or anything except himself. He was selfish and arrogant, overestimating his own strength and underestimating the power of faith and unity. The unforgivable things he had condoned and accomplished proved to Cho that he was too far gone for redemption of any kind.

He simply did not deserve to be saved.

**A/N:** Hello everyone, i haven't written anything in a while! I found this story on my USB the other day while cleaning out files and thought i'll run with the idea. This is kind of as a replacement for "The Story Left Untold" (another CC/TR story) because i didn't like where that was heading. Anyway, if you want me continue or you have something to say about the story, let me know through reviews! Thanks :)


	2. The Wedding

**Chapter 2 – The Wedding**

Cho tugged nervously on the hem of her silvery dress as she fidgeted in her seat. The ceremony had already passed and the reception was currently being held. The Weasley's backyard had been transformed into a beautiful setting that revolved around the colour scheme of white and gold. The intimate setting was held under a large white tent held up by large timber poles and illuminated by large decorative orbs of various sizes that floated high above the tables.

She recognised a few of her old classmates such as Luna, Neville and Roger but she mostly kept to herself except when Luna came over to her table to discuss an article on the Quibbler Cho had happened to read. Luna was still as nonsensical as ever but Cho admired the girls' spirit and compassion for others. She didn't care what anyone else thought, which was clearly evident in her attire that greatly resembled an over large gold table cloth with various ornaments sewn onto the hem and sleeves. Within an hour, Luna was whisked away by her strange father to dance, leaving Cho alone and feeling somewhat disappointed. She sat back against the rigid chair and nibbled on a pastry idly, wondering at what time it would be socially acceptable for her to leave.

There was merry music sounding loudly as happy couples and friends danced the night away, but Cho politely declined when asked, claiming that she didn't feel too well. Instead, she chose to observe the people around her, her lips twitching slightly when she saw Harry attempting to dance with Ginny. He was completely off beat, struggling not to step on his wife's high heeled shoes while grinning sheepishly at the crowd who roared with laughter. Suddenly, his bright green eyes met Cho's and he smiled at her. He waited till he finished the dance before approaching, a familiar friendly grin spreading across his face when he saw her.

Cho rose from her chair, wrapping her arms around him before stepping back. He had grown since his Hogwarts days, his jaw line was shadowed by facial hair and he had grown even taller. But his brilliant eyes still held the childish gleam, and his dark brown hair still refused to be tamed.

"Hey Cho, I'm glad you could make it" he smiled, looking confident in his perfectly tailored black robes "You look lovely"

Cho ducked her head slightly, glad that the warm lighting did not highlight the blush on her cheeks "Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself. Congratulations by the way, Ginny looks beautiful"

Harry grinned "I'll pass that onto her. So, how have you been lately? I heard you have a job at the ministry?"

Cho nodded, feeling depressed at the thought of it "Nothing exciting, just a lot of paperwork really"

Harry's grin dropped slightly at her unenthused tone till his expression grew concerned. Harry had not kept in touch with Cho at all since the final battle, partly because Ginny was reluctant to let him retain contact. It took a lot of persuading on Harrys behalf just to invite her to their wedding. Cho looked much the same on the outside, but her eyes seemed sad and vacant, and if he thought about it, he didn't remember seeing Cho smile much all evening.

He knew that her parents were still missing because of the posters around the Aurors office and as much as he hated to admit it, there was a very slim chance of them ever reappearing. Feeling a surge of sympathy for the girl, Harry enveloped her in a hug once more.

"I just don't know what to do anymore" whispered Cho, feeling the tears forming in her eyes already. She tried to hold them back, but they spilled over her cheeks as she felt the warmth from Harry's reassuring embrace. As innocent as it was, it felt nice to be consoled and cared for. She had forgotten what it was like not to be completely alone, even if it was for a few seconds.

Harry pulled back, taking the pocket square out from his robes and handed it to her "I'll always be here if you need me Cho. And don't forget, Hogwarts will always give help to those who ask for it"

Cho sniffled, dabbing her face "When did you get so wise?"

A smile spread across his face "I learned it from someone much wiser than me"

"Thanks Harry, you're a really good friend" she said, giving him a watery smile that came off looking much more like a grimace.

Their conversation was interrupted when Ginny walked over, clad in a more casual white lace dress with her hair done up in an elegant looking bun. She spotted Harry and Cho, waving at them both.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" she scolded, the smile on her face betraying her reprimand. Harry just grinned and kissed her on the cheek, winding his arm around her waist.

Cho stood there uncomfortably, witnessing their small display of affection until Ginny turned towards Cho.

"Hello Cho" she smiled pleasantly. Cho greeted her back, though she noticed the suspicion in her eyes. "I was just telling going to tell Harry that it's time for photographs at the front. Would you like to join us?"

Not wanting another excuse for Ginny to dislike her, or to make life difficult for Harry, Cho politely declined before bidding them both good night. As the newlyweds walked away, Harry looked over his shoulder and gave her a small wave before the crowds swallowed them out of view.

That night, Cho lay in bed thinking about the wedding and more specifically, her short conversation with Harry. The sentiment and genuine care he felt for her was nice but she didn't feel right laying her problems on him. Harry out of all people deserved to have a peaceful and trouble free life after all he had endured. So what did he mean about Hogwarts being able to help? Frowning to herself, Cho grabbed the dreamless sleep potion on her bedside cabinet and downed it in one fluid motion. Fluffing her pillows, she turned to her side and stared at the peeling green paint on her walls deciding that she would take Harry's advice and visit Hogwarts tomorrow after work.

_**A/N:** Slow moving? I know. I promise things will speed up a little later. In the mean time, review? ;)_


	3. Much More than a Penny for your Thoughts

**Chapter 3 – Much More than a Penny for your Thoughts**

With each step, Cho Chang felt the growing apprehension within her escalate. The trip to visit Hogwarts suddenly seemed very stupid considering she had no purpose here. Just what was she hoping for? That her ex-professors could somehow find her parents, bring back Cedric and solve all her life problems?

Without saying those words out loud, even Cho found it to sound terribly whiney and annoying.

Cho stepped up to the gates, resolutely making up her mind. She was already here; she might as well just go through with it. It would be nice to catch up with her teachers anyway; especially Flitwick who, at her graduation, had given her teary goodbyes as well as making her promise him that she would visit him occasionally. Gathering her courage, Cho aimed her wand at the gates and watched as a silvery swan erupted from the tip before gliding towards the doors of the castle with her message.

Within a few minutes, Cho saw a tiny figure heading towards her, one arm raised up in an enthusiastic wave. Professor Flitwick came into full view, a huge smile on his face.

"Miss Chang! What a pleasant surprise!" he cried, giving his ex-pupil a warm hug. Cho felt a small smile of her own spread across her face as she regarded the professor with fondness.

"I did promise didn't I Professor?" she quipped back.

"Call me Fillius!" he piped up before leading her up the pavement to where a threstral drawn carriage was waiting. Cho felt a jolt of surprise when she saw the threstrals for the first time. She had always known they were there but seeing them gave her an unpleasant feeling she had associated with the cold touch of death. They looked like ghostly winged horses, their skin slightly sunken and moulded to their bone structure. Their eyes were eerily perceptive looking, giving Cho the distinct impression that her textbooks were correct in saying that Threstrals were extraordinarily intelligence creatures.

Flitwick gestured for her to enter before hopping in himself, conjuring a small stool to aid him. When they were settled in the jostling carriage, Cho and the professor kept up an easy conversation that thankfully for Cho's sake, did not delve in too deep to her personal life or of her missing family.

The carriage eventually halted to a stop in front of the main entryway where Cho and Flitwick gracefully stepped off. Looking up at the ancient looming castle, Cho allowed the familiar flood of happy memories fill her in. She remembered her first day at Hogwarts, waiting nervously on those very steps to enter the Great Hall where she would be sorted into Ravenclaw. She remembered her excitement in attending her classes and how she would stay up every night just to make sure she knew the content for her lessons. She remembered the feeling of pure joy and pride as she was chosen to be the Seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. She remembered the way Cedric had first noticed her after the match in her third year and how he had smiled at her warmly, his grey eyes sparkling.

Swallowing the bile that rose unintentionally in her throat, Cho chased away those thoughts and followed Flitwick in through the massive double doors, plastering a smile on her pale face.

Cho and Flitwick had just entered the castle when a red faced Ravenclaw boy ran up to them, gasping.

"Professor, Hodgens has got himself into a fight with Peeves again-" he said breathlessly as Flitwick sighed with annoyance.

"The third time this week…" muttered Flitwick, straightening his thinly framed glasses "Apologies Miss Chang but would you mind waiting for a moment while I sort this out? Feel free to roam the castle, I trust you remember the routes?"

Cho nodded in the affirmative and watched as Flitwick and the student rushed away up the stairs. Glancing around the castle, she determined that most of the students must still be in class with only a few stragglers left in the castle and the hall. Treading the familiar steps, her feat led her towards the general direction of Ravenclaw common room. En route, she noticed that much of the familiar tapestries that once hung on the wall were either replaced or empty. The stone statues were gone, the crumbling stone bases baring their names barely visible through the cracks. The battle at Hogwarts had cost the old castle heavily but luckily many of the enchantments managed to hold the larger bits of the structure together, allowing renovations to be made more easily after the war.

Oddly enough, Cho felt herself drawn towards a stretch of blank wall on the third floor before remembering what it was. Her mind drew back to her 6th year and Dumbledore's Army, where they had used this magical room to practice offensive and defensive spells under the guidance of Harry.

She remembered that to enter you had to think of what you wanted the room to turn into and pace back and forth three times and then a door would appear. Would the magic only respond to exact thoughts? Or could it look into your mind and determine what you needed, much like the sorting hat? Curious as to whether the room still worked and deciding that Flitwick would not be looking for her anytime soon, Cho stepped up to the bare wall and began to pace back and forth.

But what did she want? What did she need? Were they the same thing for her? She wanted a better job, friends who understood her and family. She needed to forget the terrible things she had seen and start living her life anew.

She both needed and wanted a new beginning.

Suddenly, a completely nondescript wooden door appeared, its brass knob glinting slightly in the flickering torchlight used to illuminate the halls of the castle. Unthinkingly, Cho reached out her hand and grasped the knob, twisting it easily and swinging open the door to see the darkness within.

Cho stepped over the threshold, keeping her wand at the ready as her eyes took note of any flicker of movement. The door snapped shut with a loud click and Cho jumped in fright before surveying the area in front of her. She appeared to be in a study room of sorts, the walls lined with hundreds of colourfully spined books as well as a large oak table in the centre. Couches and armchairs that looked a lot like the ones she had at home were organised spaciously near a small grate where a fire roared merrily. It was a comfortable and warm place, but anticlimactic as to what she was expecting. She hadn't expected a life changing moment or anything nearly as momentous, but _a study room_?

Chuckling slightly to herself, Cho came to the conclusion that the Room of Requirement must have lost its touch since her school days. Stowing away her wand, Cho reached for the door knob, feeling a slight tingling sensation in her fingertips that wasn't completely unpleasant but felt a lot like being disillusioned.

She stepped out into the corridor, noticing that it seemed darker than it should be. She looked through one of the windows, the dark blanket of sky visible with a spattering of stars that shone brightly. Coming to the conclusion that she must have been in the room a lot longer than it seemed, Cho took off to find Professor Flitwick to apologise for her absence.

On her way to the teacher's staffroom, Cho saw a group of Slytherin girls who eyed her oddly. Feeling self-conscious, Cho wrapped her jacket tighter around herself as though protecting herself from their looks. One of the girls quirked their eyebrow at her but walked away, whispering to her friends.

Cho hurried her steps, vaguely wondering whether Hogwarts had changed its dress code. The skirts seemed longer, the charcoal grey colour of their jumpers lighter and the crest slightly different in design. They still wore the plain black robes on the outside though, the lining of it reflecting their house colour.

Finally, Cho arrived at the Teacher's staffroom after being held up by a moving staircase that refused to budge. Raising a fist, she knocked firmly, waiting for someone to open the door.

The door swung open to reveal a kind looking middle aged woman with flyaway blonde hair whom Cho did not recognise "Hello dear, how may I help you?" she asked, her hand still poised on the door.

"Oh hello" begun Cho nervously "Is Professor Flitwick in here?"

The woman's' expression turned quizzical "There is no Professor Flitwick here dear. What did you say your name was?"

"Professor Fillius Flitwick? He teaches charms here?" prodded Cho, guessing that this woman very new to the staff of Hogwarts. Cho would have found it odd that she didn't know the other professors names but after the war, many teachers had retired or quit, leaving many new teaching vacancies for when Hogwarts re-opened. Cho wondered whether Neville was here too or if he was down in the greenhouses.

"There is no Fillius Flitwick here" she replied adamantly "Are you a student here Miss?"

At this stage, Cho was getting annoyed with the woman but indulged in her insanity out of politeness "Is Professor McGonagall or Sprout here? Or Madam Hooch?"

The woman was about to reply when a jovial voice in the background interrupted "Gertrude, who is at the door?"

"I haven't the foggiest" replied Gertrude, frowning "Albus, perhaps you could sort her out?"

Cho heard a shuffling of feet and the whisper of long robes as they trailed against the stone flooring. A tall auburn haired man came into view, his half-moon glasses and twinkling blue eyes shockingly familiar.

"Now, what did you say your name was?" he asked, his tone politely curious.

But Cho paid no attention to what he was saying, her mind only capable of conjuring two words.

"Professor Dumbledore?"

**_A/N: _**_Let me know what you think and thanks for reading! _


	4. A New Beginning

**Chapter 4 – A New Beginning**

Dumbledore smiled, lowering his glasses to regard the girl in front of him "Yes, that is me. And though I do try to remember the name of my students, I don't believe I have met your acquaintance Miss..?"

"Chang" she said hurriedly "Cho Chang"

Cho's mind was running at a million miles per hour, her thoughts a jumbled mess that was nearly incomprehensible. From the stray pieces of information she could gather, this was not the Hogwarts she knew and loved. The castle looked much the same but the minor differences began to make sense. The lady named Getrude not knowing her old Professors, the altered uniforms, the staircases moving in different sequences than what she was used to. It was all slowly coming together.

"Excuse me Professor" started Cho, her voice distinctly strained, "what's the date?"

"Well Miss Chang, it's September 2nd which reminds me; I must send an owl to my aunt Harriet" he mused to himself. "But to answer your question completely, it is September 2nd 1945"

Dumbledore suddenly looked very concerned as Cho seemed to be hyperventilating, struggling to inhale more air into her lungs. Her face was deathly pale, a sheen of sweat developing on her forehead as though she was running a fever. Acting quickly, Dumbledore guided her inside the teachers' lounge and sat her down in one of the armchairs. Cho faintly registered Getrude disappearing for a moment before reappearing and thrusting a small vial of pale green liquid into her hands. Taking the cue, she knocked back the soothing, slightly minty potion.

"Calming draught" explained Dumbledore, waiting patiently till Cho calmed down enough to speak.

When the dizziness in her head had subsided, and her gasping became more subdued, she turned towards Dumbledore "Could I talk to you in private? Please Professor?"

Dumbledore nodded, steering Cho out of the crowd of teachers who held suspicious and curious glances and led her up to a secret door that was disguised behind a picture of a serene mountainous landscape. The portrait swung open with a wordless swish of his wand.

"Ladies first?" he offered, his hand outstretched towards the doorway. Cho nodded her head in thanks, not yet trusting her voice to work.

The office was much smaller than the future Dumbledore's Headmaster office but still remained as cluttered as ever. Various gadgets and instruments were strewn over his mahogany desk which dominated the main area while a modestly sized book shelf lined the back wall. Cho also noticed a perch next to his desk, a pile of ashes smouldering slightly.

"Ah" began Dumbledore happily "I see that you have noticed my phoenix-"

"Fawkes" breathed Cho, interrupting Dumbledore who looked mildly surprised "His name is Fawkes" she said with more conviction.

"Miss Chang, perhaps now would be a good time for you to tell me what you need to?" he asked, his tone carefully neutral. He went to sit behind his desk while Cho occupied the one across from him. Dispelling the feeling of being questioned like a criminal, Cho nervously took a sip of water that had appeared on the table before beginning her story.

She told Dumbledore who she was and how she unknowingly time travelled, being careful to leave out anything that could change the future. While Cho wished that the whole ordeal in regards to You-Know-Who never happened, textbooks she had read in the past had stressed the point of not altering time because it was so fickle and unpredictable. All she wanted now was just to go straight home before she could do any serious damage.

Dumbledore, who had remained silent for most part of her narration, spoke up when she trailed into silence "Well what is it you want to do Miss Chang?"

"I want to go home" she replied automatically

He took off his glasses and began polishing the lens on his robes "I think you misunderstand me. What do_ you_ want? Do you want to return to your old life?"

Cho frowned "It's not about what I want."

"But if you could stay here without consequence, would you?" he asked, his eyes very blue as he stared at her.

"That would be selfish" murmured Cho, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. "And running away from my problems won't help them solve them"

To her surprise, Dumbledore chuckled "Has it occurred to you that perhaps the Room Of Requirement has directed you here to help you solve your problems?"

Cho blinked owlishly, realising that those thoughts had not at all occurred to her. But how could sending her back in time help her? If anything, it would just add a whole lot more trouble to her life which she didn't need or want. Making up her mind, she fixed Dumbledore with a steely yet determined look.

"That may be true, but I would like to go back home" she said resolutely.

Dumbledore nodded slowly, rising from his chair while a smile touched his lips "Then let us see what the Room of Requirement thinks of your request"

Cho dismissed his strange wording, knowing that Dumbledore often spoke in riddles and very vague phrases; instead following him out of his office. After trekking down several flights of stairs and narrow corridors, they reached the seemingly innocent looking blank stretch of wall.

"It's all yours" smiled Dumbledore, twisting his arms behind his back and rocking on his heels. Cho stepped forward, clenching her eyes shut and pacing back and forth.

_"I need to get home back to my time" _thought Cho as she walked. After the third time, she opened one of her eyes but found nothing other than the wall staring mockingly back at her. _"I need to get home. Take me home" _she thought again. But as she stopped in front of the wall, no door materialised for her to open.

"It seems" enunciated Dumbledore, that spark in his eye glowing brighter than ever "That the magic of castle does not wish for you to leave" He noticed the exasperation upon Cho's face and his smile widened "And since we have no other known methods of time travel up our sleeves, I suggest you stay here as a student. Welcome back to Hogwarts Miss Chang"

***  
_**A/N: I'll be posting another 2 chapters now because i realise that the chapters are really quite short... Review?**_

_**- DecoyDream :)**_


	5. Hogwarts will always welcome you Home

**Chapter 5- Hogwarts will always welcome you home**

_This is absolutely ridiculous_, thought Cho as nerves seemed to eat away at her insides. Why couldn't she just be sorted in the privacy of Headmaster Dippet or Dumbledore's office? Instead, she was thrust onto the stage in front of the entire Great Hall full of students who were eager for dinner.

After Dumbledore had strongly suggested her staying within the safety of Hogwarts, he decided to place her in the 7th year despite the fact that she had already completed it. He had laughed in that infuriatingly joyful way, claiming that he now fully expected her to obtain all Outstandings across her chosen subjects. Typically being an overachiever, Cho chose 8 subjects to complete: History of Magic, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical creatures and Ancient Runes. Cho believed that by packing her lesson and study schedule, she would reduce the amount of time she would undoubtedly spend worrying about her current predicament.

Dippet cast an amplifying spell on his voice to grab the attention of the rowdy students as well as serving the dual purpose of shaking Cho out of her thoughts.

"Attention students!" he called, eying a Gryffindor boy who was still speaking to his friends "Hogwarts does not accept many transfer students but today we have allowed an exception. She will be studying in her 7th year and I would like you all to please welcome Miss Cho Chang!"

The crowd was deathly silent, the Gryffindor boy from earlier also ogling the new girl who looked almost ready to pass out. Concentrating on just putting one foot in front of the other, Cho made her way across the stage and sat on the wooden stool just as someone lowered the old sorting hat onto her head.

"Miss Chang, I see I have met you before? How curious… But I am not here today to question your circumstances, only to sort you into one of the four houses. Hmm… I can see that Ravenclaw has served you well in the past but is it time for change? Perhaps Gryffindor?"

Cho mentally shook her head, feeling that the house of lions was too courageous and fiery for her pragmatic mind and quiet demeanour.

"No? You are much braver than you believe yourself to be Miss Chang… But if you say so! What about Slytherin? Why the disgust? They are ambitious and if I am not mistaken, you are looking for more in life are you not? Oh well, what a picky one! How about Hufflepuff? You are undoubtly loyal and kind… But no? Fine, perhaps familiarity is best for you-"

"Ravenclaw!" the hat shouted. Cho slipped off the hat, feeling relieved. The students with blue and bronze ties clapped politely, a few of them smiling at her. Cho urged forward her shaky legs and sat down at an empty space closest to the stage next to a girl with fiery red hair.

While the students all craned their necks to get a good look at the new girl, they left her alone for the most part, allowing her to eat her meal in relative peace. Not realising how hungry she was, Cho ate two helpings of chicken pot pie and fit in a large slice of pumpkin pie.

"Do they not have food where you're from?" asked the girl beside Cho, her tone amused as opposed to nasty. Cho blushed, setting down her knife and fork and reaching for her goblet of pumpkin juice.

"I just didn't realise how hungry I was" explained Cho, wiping her mouth with a stiff napkin. The girl just smirked at her before continuing to prod her own bowl of trifle that had begun to resemble sludge.

"My name is Arlene by the way, Arlene Stevens" she said casually, her grass green eyes flickering over to Cho for a moment as though appraising her.

Cho chanced a small polite smile, appreciating that Arlene was at least trying to be kind without prying or being intrusive "It's nice to meet you Arlene, I'm Cho"

She snorted with laughter, pushing her now unappetising trifle to the side "I don't think there's anybody in this hall that doesn't know your name now. I bet they're all dying to know why Hogwarts has suddenly decided to allow a transfer student"

"Are you wondering?" asked Cho, cocking her head to the side to see the girl's expression with more ease.

Arlene shrugged "Wondering, yes. But I'm not going to ask – everyone is entitled to their own secrets after all"

"What makes you think that my presence here is something mysterious? Perhaps I've been previously privately tutored and I wanted a change of scenery?" countered Cho, challenging the other girl.

Arlene laughed "Well if that's the story you're going to feed the sheep then so be it but you don't fool me Cho Chang, you really don't"

Cho, unsure of what to make of her new friend slash acquaintance and her odd sense of humour, continued to take sips out of her goblet as she stared at the royal blue coloured placemats on the dinner table.

The chatter in the room mounted as people finished their meals, followed by the loud scraping of benches as they were pushed back to allow the occupants an exit. The student body dissipated slowly out of the double doors and Cho was beginning to panic. Dumbledore nor Dippet had told her of which dormitory she was going to stay in and she didn't quite feel like poking her head through every single one of them till she spotted an empty bed.

As though she were reading Cho's mind, Arlene spoke up while she swung her legs over the wooden seat "Come on, I'll show you to your dormitory. You should be in mine since there's a spare bed ever since Leanne left last year"

Cho acquiesced, silently sighing with relief. Arlene trotted out of the doors, glancing back every so often to ensure that Cho was still following. Along the way to the Ravenclaw common room, Arlene acted as a tour guide, pointing out short cuts to different classes and areas of the castle as well as particularly interesting paintings.

"You see that one there?" she asked, her fingers waving in the general direction of a portrait. The man that occupied it was currently facing the other way though his nose seemed quite prominent. Cho nodded, walking up the stairs after Arlene.

"That's my great great grandfather. He discovered the first 4 uses of Dragons blood though I sure am glad I inherited his intelligence and not his nose" she said, wrinkling her own nose which was quite in proportion to her face.

A bout of laughter escaped Cho as Arlene grinned "It's not too bad" said Cho, recovering from her giggles.

Arlene just shrugged nonchalantly, passing a couple of first years and making her way to the bronze eagle shaped knocker that guarded the common room. At the sight of the two girls, the eagle regarded them carefully before opening its mouth to deliver the riddle.

"What is black before it is used, red when being used and grey after it has been used?"

Arlene frowned, mouthing the words to herself as she mulled it over. She had always hated the doorway to Ravenclaw common room. While the other common rooms used passwords, portraits and walls, her entire house had to answer silly questions before they could even enter. Frankly, it was exhausting sometimes.

"It's coal" piped up Cho, who was also thinking hard. She had grown accustomed to the riddles over her years, helping her to answer them much more quickly than when she struggled in her first and second years.

The eagle nodded its head once and swung the door open, allowing them admittance into the beautifully spacious room. The domed ceiling was painted with stars while the room was decorated lavishly in varying shades of royal blue and brassy bronze. Ceiling high bookshelves ran along the lengths and widths of the walls while elegant armchairs and couches gathered around the fireplace as well as several lacquered coffee tables. Up a flight of stairs, Cho noticed the familiar placing of the entranceway to the respective boy and girls dormitories.

The occupants of the room turned to see the patrons who just walked in, their eyes glued onto Cho as she uneasily ascended the stairs with Arlene. Cho hoped that they would get bored of her soon as she definitely was not use to being paid attention to especially after her lack of human contact for sustained periods of time back in her era. It put her on edge, making her feel self-conscious and paranoid.

"Just ignore them" said Arlene, "Or hex them. Whichever one takes your fancy"

Cho smiled a little as they finally reached their dormitory. Swinging open the door, Cho noticed that it looked much the same as the dormitory she had slept in when she was at Hogwarts. The room was rectangular, the four poster beds lined up against one long wall and separated by a bedside table and a fair amount of space. A small grate burned in one corner while the trunks sat at the end of their beds. Writing desks with chairs were also scattered around the room as well as a few windows that gave a lovely view of the mountains.

Arlene allowed Cho to get use to her room, drifting off downstairs to chat in the common room with some friends. Cho walked over to her bed that was right next to a window, unfastening her cloak and dropping it on her perfectly made bed. To her surprise, there was a trunk at the end of her bed with a piece of parchment on top that was addressed to her. Opening it up, Cho read the contents.

"Dear Miss Chang,

I have taken the liberty of buying your school supplies as well as clothing and other supplies for your stay here. I hope you find them satisfactory. If not, do not hesitate to contact me in my office!

Sincerely, Professor Albus Dumbledore"

Cho gently folded the letter back up and unlatched the lock to her trunk, surprised to find the sheer amount of possessions in there. There was clothing of every colour and style as well as 3 new pairs of shoes, uniform and scarves. In a separate parcel were quills, ink pots, parchment and books. As well as being immensely grateful, Cho wondered how she could repay Dumbledore for his kindness. She had no Gringotts account in the 1940's and no possessions on her that were of any monetary value. Perhaps she could search for some form of part time employment to pay him back?

Feeling suddenly very tired from the days events, Cho changed into her long sleeved cotton pyjamas and brushed her teeth and hair. She crawled into bed and drew the plush velvet curtains around her before flopping down onto the soft pillows.

She thought of her day so far, surprised to find it wasn't all too terrible other than the glaring fact that she was currently unable to return to her own time. She was back at Hogwarts, a place where many good memories were made as well as some frightening ones. She had been sorted into Ravenclaw, a place where she had once felt accepted and respected amongst her peers. She had also made one tenuous friendship with the strange but humorous girl named Arlene who had made her laugh the first time in months.

Flipping to her other side, Cho stared at the drapings around her bed, deciding that maybe the Room of Requirement did have her best interests at heart after all.


	6. Tryouts

**Chapter 6- Tryouts**

Cho was almost a whole day through her new life, and surprisingly, was managing to stay afloat rather than drowning in the absurdity of it all. Arlene had taken it upon herself to be Cho's personal tour guide as well a body guard, shooting unfriendly looks at stragglers who were curious about the new girl.

If asked last night, Cho wouldn't have been sure whether she liked Arlene Stevens, but after some time in her company she decided that she did like her a lot. She was different from the other students, more eclectic and unafraid to say what was on her mind; which much to Cho's amusement was usually outrageously inappropriate or just strange. She danced on the fine line between brilliance and oddity, reminding Cho heavily of a tougher, less whimsical version of Luna Lovegood.

Arlene herself was currently yawning in an obnoxiously loud fashion as they sat in History of Magic. Professor Binns continued to drone on, unaware of the lack of attention from his students who were all slouching in various states of boredom or entertaining themselves.

"How do you take notes in this class?" said Arlene, not bothering to put a hand over her mouth as she yawned again "It's taking all my will power not to fall into a permanent coma"

Cho's hand continued to move quickly across the page, her ink smudging slightly in her haste "The witch trials of the 16th century have been in the N.E. almost every year…." she murmured, crossing her 't' with a flourish of the quill.

Arlene rose a brow "You take school seriously don't you Chang?"

Cho smiled a little, a light pink flush forming on her cheeks "I guess you could say that"

Stretching, Arlene produced 2 sugar quills from her school bag, sucking on one while handing the other one to Cho "Do you take sport seriously too?"

Cho nodded absently, her attention still on Binns "I play quidditch"

Arlene's green eyes glowed at her words, leaning in towards Cho in interest "Why don't you try out for the team? The tryouts are tonight"

A part of Cho yearned for the thrill of quidditch again, the wind blowing through her hair as she twisted and turned on her speeding broom and the utter freedom she felt while flying. She remembered the first time she had won the match for Ravenclaw, the combination of euphoria and pride that coursed through her, her teammates and her house. But a small part of her conscience told her it was a terrible idea for her initial plan to stay under the radar until Dumbledore found a way for her to travel back to her time. Being on the quidditch team would draw even more attention towards her, attention that she really didn't need if she wanted to keep the timeline the way it was.

But was it presumptuous of her to believe that just her presence could change anything? Cho inwardly sighed, wishing that for just once in her life she could stop worrying over every detail.

"Well?" prodded Arlene, noticing that Cho's inner monologue had gone on for a tad too long "Are you going to tryouts?"

Cho grinned at her friend, embracing the temporary optimist inside of her "Yeah, I think I will"

Grasping the borrowed school broomstick in her hand, Cho strode purposefully towards the centre of the quidditch pitch where a small group was huddled together. Her stomach was fluttering with nerves, the feeling so overwhelming that it almost made her nauseous. She prayed it would at least hold till after the tryouts, regardless of whether she got the position or not.

Approaching the rather burly looking boy who appeared to be the Captain, Cho tapped him on the shoulder gently, stepping back as he whirled around to look at her.

"Can I help you?" he asked politely, the soft Irish accent quite pronounced in his words.

Cho shyly held up her rather battered broomstick "I'm here for the tryouts"

Some of the boys sniggered loudly but the Captain managed to keep his composure, a courteous smile on his lips to hide his doubt.

"Then you've come to the right place. I'm Henry Pollux, Captain of the Ravenclaw team"

He held out his hand, which Cho shook firmly "Cho Chang" she said confidently, aware of the other tryout's eyes on her.

"Well then Cho, what position will you be going for today?" asked Henry, suddenly business like as he scribbled her name onto the clip board clasped in his hands.

"Seeker"

Henry looked grim "I'm not meaning to discourage you but there's over a dozen here trying out for that very same position. I wish you the best of luck though, please step over to red group and put a sash on"

Cho nodded mutely and looped the sash across her body, fidgeting with the handle of her broom as Henry instructed the others who were trying out for various places. Minutes turned to an hour, and finally it was Cho's turn to have a go. Mounting her broom, Cho kicked off from the plush green lawns and into the sky, enjoying the view as she did a small lap. The school broom she had borrowed was not nearly as fast as her Comet 260 back home but hopefully it could serve her purposes for now.

The tryouts involved a series of exercises to determine their agility, speed and dexterity. The first task was deceptively simple, involving Henry who would throw a plain ball and watching if they could catch it in time. Many failed, unable to pull out from their steep dive in time and resulting in a trip to the Hospital Wing.

The left over 6 people, including Cho, were paired up in races to find the golden snitch. They battled it out, one against another until only two were left standing. Cho shivered in the cool nights air, watching as one of the participants who had suffered a bludger to the face was carted off the pitch on a levitating white stretcher.

"Only one more round left" yelled Henry "Whoever wins this will be Ravenclaws new seeker!"

The small crowd clapped and cheered, their huddled figures seemingly small from such height. Squaring her shoulders and tightening her grip on her broom, Cho faced off against her partner- a lanky boy with a buzz cut and a sarcastic grin. Henry blew his whistle and released the golden snitch, watching from the ground as the two seekers scoured the field in search of the illusive winged ball.

The skies were darkening, the limited lighting making it harder for Cho. Much to her relief however, the boy she was competing against also seemed to have no luck as if yet. She continued to circle the pitch, her eyes straining for a glimmer of gold. Suddenly, she spotted a faint shimmer near the centre goalpost, the fluttering of the snitch's tiny wings almost invisible through the distance. Chancing a quick glance behind, Cho suddenly sped downwards, hoping that the boy would follow in pursuit thinking that she had found it.

Sure enough, he was following her, his superior broom allowing him to catch up quickly. Cho continued to sharply dive towards the ground, ignoring the alarmed shouts from Henry and a few spectators. In one abrupt motion, Cho tilted her broom upwards, narrowly avoiding a messy collision with the ground. The boy also realised her feinting technique, pulling out of the dive just in time.

But it was too late, Cho was too far ahead. She was so close she could see the golden ball whizzing next to the painted white goalposts. Keeping one hand on the handle of her broom, she stretched out her other arm, inching closer and closer till her fingers closed in around the cold metal.

A smile spread across her face as she caught it, her eyes immediately travelling towards Henry and some others who were cheering loudly and clapping. She felt the excitement within her bubble over as she touched the ground where her new team mates congratulated her. Arlene, who had been cheering the loudest from the sidelines tackled Cho and hugged her fiercely.

"I knew you could do it!" she sang, looking possibly more proud than Cho felt. Henry walked over, a bundle of royal blue robes laden in his arms.

"Welcome to the team Cho" he said, grinning as he handed her the new uniform. Cho simply smiled in return, feeling as though nothing could possibly ruin her day.

_**A/N: The story picks up next chapter when you finally get to meet Mr Riddle... Let me know what you think of the story by reviewing below or if you want more! Thanks :)**_

_**- DecoyDream**_


	7. First Impressions

**Chapter 7- First Impressions**

It seemed that almost 2 years of being out of practice had taken its toll on Cho's body. Groaning, Cho flipped over on her bed, her stiff muscles protesting against the tiniest movement. Around her closed curtains she heard the sleepy footsteps of her dorm mates as they stumbled into the bathroom to get ready. With some difficulty, Cho slid up into a sitting position before swinging her legs over the bed and batting away the drapes.

"Good morning" greeted Cho, sleepily rubbing her eyes. Lucinda and Sarah, her two other roommates, replied in low monotones. Arlene was still presumably asleep judging by the faint snores emanating from her side of the room.

"Goodness Cho, you better hurry or you'll miss breakfast" admonished Sarah who was already in the midst of lacing up her shoes.

"What about Arlene?" asked Cho, eying the still sleeping girl

Lucinda brushed her mid length blonde hair up into a neat chignon "Arlene has the uncanny ability to not care whether she's late to class or not" she said primly, smoothing out the non existent crinkles in her dress "But for those who have a little pride, I strongly discourage tardiness"

Sarah rolled her eyes "Don't mind her Cho, I like to think she's much nicer than she actually sounds"

Lucinda shot an icy look at Sarah and sniffed huffily, finishing the final touches on her already perfect hair. Pointedly ignoring them all, she dramatically swept out of the dormitory, the door clicking shut behind her.

"Finally, the witch is gone" muttered a groggy voice "Morning Sarah, Cho"

"Good morning" they both chorused in return. Arlene dragged her body towards the bathroom and shut the door while Sarah shouldered her bulging backpack.

"I'm going to go, I'll see you in Runes?" asked Sarah, pulling a brush through her fine light brown strands. Cho nodded, bidding Sarah goodbye before she moved to get changed into her uniform.

Deciding that she was probably going to skip breakfast with Arlene, Cho took her time getting ready so as not to spike the pain in her arms and legs. Eventually, the two girls traipsed out of the Ravenclaw common room and swung by the Great Hall to quickly grab a muffin before class. Unfortunately, Arlene did not take Ancient Runes, leaving Cho to wander to her classroom by herself while the other went to Divination.

Upon entering the classroom, she discovered most of the seats were already filled up. Sarah gave her an apologetic look as she passed, mouthing 'sorry' for not saving her a seat. Taking the only available spot near the back, Cho gently laid her satchel onto the table before sinking down into her seat.

The boy beside her offered no greeting, his dark blue eyes avoiding her completely. His rich brown hair was parted neatly to the side, contrasting against his alabaster face. The shiny green and silver badge pinned above the Slytherin crest on his robes was inscribed with two italic words: Head Boy.

Silently, Cho took out her textbooks, parchment and quill set, laying them in perfect formation around her side of the desk. After a few minutes of waiting; the Professor swept in through the doors, her mustard yellow hat sitting at a jaunty angle atop her loose white blonde hair.

"Good morning class! Welcome to Ancient Runes!" she smiled, her hands gesturing wildly towards the blinds that shot open. Streams of sunlight shone through the tall windows, temporarily blinding the occupants of the room. "I trust you all had a fantastic holiday" she continued, "But holidays are over and we have the N.E.W.T's to prepare for!"

A few students groaned and the professor smiled indulgently at them "Put away those long faces dears! The curriculum for this year has changed by the order of the Ministry of Magic. As a result" she paused, looking around at the expectant faces "A group project will determine 30% of your grades!"

If the professor was expecting relief or excitement she was sorely mistaken. The most studious of the class were panicked; worried that too many marks rode on the back of just one project, while the others gave off the impression of disinterest. Cho on the other hand wasn't at all worried. The same assessment had made an appearance in her 7th year and it hadn't been too hard. It really just depended on who your partner was and whether they pulled their weight. Judging by the fact they were all in the advanced class, Cho figured that none of them could be that terrible at the subject.

The professor explained the task, detailing that the students must work in pairs in order to research a magical ancient relic of their own choosing. The pair must not only decipher the runes meanings but also their magical implications, theories and discovery.

"Now, the only thing left to do is to sort you into partners!" said the professor, smoothing out a crinkled piece of paper that was tucked underneath her ink pot. Straightening her spectacles, she read down the list. One by one, the students moved to sit next to one another, not all of them too pleased by the professor's choices. Cho saw the Ravenclaw boy she had bested at Quidditch tryouts sneer at a timid looking Gryffindor. Frowning at his behaviour, Cho turned her attention back to the teacher, positive that her name had not yet been called out.

"-and Miss Chang" she called out, focusing her eyes on Cho "you are paired up with Mr Riddle"

Cho glanced around the room, looking for a person that had not yet been paired up with anyone. Confused, Cho began to put her hand up when a low voice spoke up beside her.

"Hello, you must be my new partner. My name is Tom Riddle"

Turning to her side, she realised it was the boy right next to her who spoke. His words which was melodic and low sent shivers up her spine. Cho could admit to herself that the boy was absurdly handsome but that wasn't the reason for her reaction. There was something off about him, an aura of calm he tried to exude that wasn't convincing her in the slightest.

Trying not to overanalyse, Cho did her best to smile at her new Runes partner "Nice to meet you Mr Riddle"

He smiled disarmingly, making Cho falter "And you, Miss Chang"

A/N: Thanks flyingpiglives and Guest for my first reviews :p I was wondering whether anyone was actually reading this at all! Tom makes more of an appearance next chapter and is from his point of view.

As always, thank you for reading and please review with your comments and critiques!

- DecoyDream


	8. The Way of Things

**A/N: **_Some of Tom's POV as promised! Enjoy, lovelies :)_**  
**

**Chapter 8- The Way of Things**

Tom watched the girl's smile waver as he smiled charmingly at her, assuming that she probably already fancied herself in love with him. Hopefully, she had enough brains in her to complete the project together so that he would never have to speak to her again.

Tom knew how to take advantage of his peers and professors. Using his charm, intelligence and good looks, it was all too easy to get what he wanted. Most of the professors doted upon their star pupil, allowing him into their good graces with only minimal effort on his behalf. A box of crystallised pineapple could win old Slughorn's heart where as a single glance could get a girl to cater his every need. They were all so simple, so predictable, and so easy to control.

Undoubtedly, the same would work for the new star attraction – the transfer student who was now his Ancient Runes partner. Like all the others, he had first seen her when she was sorted into Ravenclaw, her complexion pallid and her knees shaky as she walked towards the table. He had heard of all different tales about the girl; that her whole family was murdered by Grindelwald and she had fled to Hogwarts because Dumbledore was actually her adopted uncle or maybe that she was the equivalence of magical royalty and therefore could buy her way into a place at Hogwarts.

Tom scoffed at all those ludicrous ideas that glorified her. She was nothing special in his eyes, nothing that stood her apart from all the other girls that wandered these very halls. But she didn't know that. From experience and observation, Tom knew it was best to allow the girl to believe she was special and different; that he paid attention to her because he wanted to and not because he was forced into this partnership. Besides, he may need her one day when he leaves school and a contact with favour towards him would always been advantageous.

"So Miss Chang" he began, focusing his dark eyes on her "How do you like Hogwarts?"

Tom could have sworn he saw a flash of unease cross her face before it disappeared "It's lovely here" she said shortly, her tone a hint defensive.

"Better than your old school?" pried Tom, tilting his head as though he really valued her answer.

"I was home schooled" she responded, tucking loose strands of shiny black hair behind her ear almost nervously. Before Tom could reply, she flipped open her copy of Advanced Ancient Runes "So what relic do you want to do?" she asked brightly, her fingers running through the table of contents "There's the pyramids in Egypt, the lighthouse of Alexandria…"

She rattled off a few more options before Tom interrupted "How about we go to the library later to do research on a more obscure relic? It may be more interesting than the ones everyone else is going to do. Would you like to meet outside the library after dinner?"

Pink flooded her cheeks "Sorry, I have quidditch practice. Is there another time suitable for you?"

Tom raised his eyebrows condescendingly at the blushing girl. He had no appreciation for sports of any kind, but was surprised that she did. She didn't strike him as the kind of girl that enjoyed being knocked around by bludgers or joining in on the testosterone fest that quidditch usually was. Not many girls tried out each year and even fewer were successful in their ploys. Slytherin for example had never had a girl on its team.

Not that Tom cared of course.

"Then how about 8 o clock? Would your practice be finished by then?"

The girl nodded, gathering her things and stuffing them into her bag as the bell rung overhead. "I'll see you at 8 then". Giving him a little awkward wave which he did not return, she raced out of the classroom, the lingering scent of black tea and jasmine wafting in her wake.

Cho braced herself against the wall of an empty corridor, releasing the breath that she didn't know she was holding. She wasn't sure why she felt so adverse to the strange boy with the strange name, but there was something simmering underneath the surface of his perfect façade that frightened her. She felt as though she knew him from somewhere, another place, and another time. Those dark blue eyes that verged on black, the way he held himself with such grace. It was so familiar, but for the life of her, she could not put a name to him or who he reminded her of.

Realising she was shivering, from either the cold or the encounter, she wrapped her robes tighter around herself as she made her way to her next class. She soon joined the large throng of students who crowded the hallway, dodging and weaving groups of people to get to Charms, all the while unaware of the dark eyes that followed her.

Cho waved her new teammates goodbye, smiling as Henry clapped her on the back and congratulated her on her performance at practice. Feeling in high spirits, she was almost to the showers and change rooms when she remembered that she had a meeting with Tom in the library. Checking her watch, the small dial read 7:58. Cursing, Cho quickly locked the borrowed broom up in the store room and ran into the castle, hoping that she wasn't going to be too late.

Tom twirled his wand lazily as he stood there in annoyance. It was already ten minutes past 8 and there was still not sign of the Chang girl. He should have known she wouldn't be one to value punctuality. Suddenly, quick footfalls echoed down the hall followed by a figure dressed in muddied blue and bronze quidditch robes.

"Sorry I'm late!" she huffed, clutching her side that was beginning to hurt from exertion.

Tom stared at her for a moment, his eyes grazing across her harried appearance. Her hair was pulled up into a sloppy ponytail, the long strands slightly knotted and windblown. Her cheeks were flushed a healthy pink, enhancing her attractive facial features that were slightly smudged with dirt. As repulsed as he was by his thoughts, Tom had to admit she was actually quite beautiful even with the muck and grime.

Uncomfortable under his scrutiny, Cho gestured awkwardly to the doors "Shall we go in?"

Tom nodded, allowing her inside first. Cho murmured a quiet 'thanks' and walked in hoping that the librarian would not see the mud that clung to her shoes and robes. Wishing that she had at least had time to change into clean clothes, she chose a spot near the restricted section where fewer students would be inclined to stare at her.

Tom sat across from her, placing his bag atop the table "Do you have any ideas for the project? He queried, removing a plain white quill and a roll of parchment from his bag.

Having done this exact same project before, Cho wondered if it was considered cheating by suggesting the same relic she had done with Roger Davies in her 7th year. They had gotten top marks for it, both of them earning an 'Outstanding' in their final N.E.W.T results. If she chose the same project, no one would know.

But even in her constant battle of wills, integrity usually won out in the end. She would suggest a different one because not only was it the right thing to do but it would also make for interesting research.

"I'm not sure, how about we look through some textbooks first?" she suggested, gesturing the tall shelves behind her. He acquiesced, rising from his seat to peruse the relevant shelves with her. The library was comforting in his vastness, the endless shelves of books and slightly musty scent familiar to Cho who had spent much of her 6th and 7th years in her small private nook. Books of every colour and size lined the shelves, some snapping ferociously when you pulled it off the shelf or emitting an ear splitting screech when you turned to a particular page.

After almost an hour of searching, Tom and Cho had produced a pile of a dozen books that could be of use to them.

Tom flicked through the pages before stopping at one "How about the Necropolis in Egypt?" he suggested, his eyes on the text.

Cho shook her head, replying absently "It's not nearly as interesting as it sounds. The translations don't give much away" she remarked, her face hidden by the massive tome she was immersed in.

Tom tilted his head to the side, watching her "Some light bed time reading?"

The tips of Cho's ears coloured before she muttered back defensively "I am a Ravenclaw aren't i?"

Choosing not to reply, the pair continued their search in relative silence, only punctuating the air with their voices when they found something of interest. A few texts and a whole hour later, Tom came across a relic that piqued his interest. Flipping the textbook and sliding it across the table, he pointed to the bolded title.

Leaning over, Cho read it out loud "The Ruins of Regnad? I haven't heard of this before"

Tom reclined lazily on his chair, leaving the book in front of Cho "From what little I've heard of it, it seems quite interesting. Apparently, the stones from the ruins are used to create the time turners they have at the Ministry"

Cho's eyebrows shot up, suddenly a lot more interested now than she was before. What if she uncovered something to aid her journey back to the present? What if this was her ticket back to her old life? Grabbing a piece of parchment with a little too much vigour, Cho scribbled down the name of their new project.

"The Ruins of Regnad it is!" she declared, underlining the heading with a flourish. Tom nodded, slightly disturbed by her sudden bout of enthusiasm. Perhaps she had had one too many bludgers to the head after all.


	9. Headaches and Head Boys

**A/N: **_Thank you Voldie's lover (nice name by the way ;) haha) for the kind reviews and suggestions. This one is for you! I hope everyone enjoys the chapter and reviews :)**  
**_

**Chapter 9- Headaches and the Head Boy**

For the next few weeks, Cho's time passed surprisingly fast. It all passed in a constant routine of class, quidditch, homework and of course that Ancient Runes assignment with Tom Riddle. She was still wary of him but they had settled into a semi-comfortable routine of minimal talk and a lot of research. Unfortunately, the shelves of the library held little information about the all illusive Ruins of Regnad but they were certain the Restricted Section would have more. They were still currently waiting on the Professors permission slip and so had little to do in the meantime. Cancelling their meetings in the library for now, Cho found herself training on the pitch more and more during the night, often with the help of the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, and her new friend Henry Pollux.

Henry reminded her of Cedric, so much so, that she often began saying Ced's name before realising it wasn't him at all. They didn't at all look much alike for Henry had darker brown hair that was slightly curled and hazel eyes, but their personalities were very similar. They both had infectious laughter and that wide boyish grin that everyone seemed to love, as well as a kind heart. Cho found that when in Henry's company, she could pretend that all was right in the world. It was just two friends, practicing quidditch.

Cho and Henry circled the pitch lazily, regaining their breath after their rather strenuous exercises.

"I had my reservations about you as our seeker" said Henry, grinning at her as he turned his head towards her.

Cho raised her eyebrows in silent question, inviting him to continue.

"There's never been a girl in the Ravenclaw team" he explained, shrugging "And when you first walked up onto the pitch, I thought you were going to be sick all over me"

Cho laughed, trying to punch his arm but failing as he distanced himself just in time "I thought I was too! Would you have let me try out if I did though?"

Henry pretended to contemplate before scrunching up his nose "Absolutely not"

Both chuckled lightly as they smoothly descended, swinging their brooms over their shoulders "I'm glad you did though" continued Henry "You could possibly win us the House Cup this year!"

Cho grimaced "No pressure or anything of course"

"No pressure" agreed Henry with a grin "Come on, we better head back before curfew. The Prefects are finding any excuse to dock points these days"

Cho nodded in response, falling into step beside him as they made their way back to the castle. Using the sleeve of her sweater to wipe away the streaks of mud on her face, she removed her wand from her jeans pocket and waved it over her shoes, not bothering to watch as the mud magically disappeared. At Henry's questioning gaze, she explained with a sheepish expression "I wouldn't want the caretaker to murder me on the spot"

"Fair enough" smirked Henry "That old codger-"

"Excuse me" interrupted a smooth voice "You two are past curfew"

Cho and Henry's lingering smiles fled from their faces as they spotted the Head Boy, though both for very different reasons. While Cho felt uncomfortable around him for no apparent reason, Henry's reason was much less complex. While Tom Riddle's reputation was good as gold, Henry remained doubtful of his true persona. His group of friends consisted of the most arrogant boys in the whole of Hogwarts and Henry would be a fool to think that the Head Boy was as innocent as he seemed. The apple never falls too far from the tree now does it?

Nevertheless, Henry wasn't silly enough to be blatantly hostile to the Head Boy. Allowing an easy smile to spread across his face, Henry resumed a jovial tone "Hello there Tom. Miss Chang and I were just heading back"

Tom, ever the epitome of composure, merely glanced between the two before adopting an expression of diplomacy "I will allow it to slide this time Pollux" he enunciated, the low cadence of his voice smooth as melted chocolate "But may I have a word with Miss Chang for a moment? Alone?"

Henry looked between the two, almost sure that he was not imagining the look of fear that flashed across Cho's delicate features. Should he stay…?

As though reading Henry's mind, Tom continued in that infuriatingly polite tone "She will be safe in my hands of course. I will deliver her back to the common room as soon as our business here is finished"

"I'll see you back at the common room then" said Henry, the phrase coming out more as a question than a statement. Cho nodded infinitesimally, giving a small smile of encouragement before bidding him goodbye. Frowning, Henry bade both of them goodbye before leaving the two alone, all too aware of the feelings of unease that crept up on him with every step away.

Cho concentrated on her breathing, ignoring Tom's gaze that was far too intense for her liking. Just when she thought she was getting use to his presence, he just had to appear outside of their scheduled meetings to shake things up. Now there was nowhere to hide and no one to protect her. Only her and Tom Riddle alone in a corridor in the middle of the night, probably far away enough for no one to hear her scream or plead for help.

_'Don't be silly Cho'_ she chided herself, _'You're being paranoid! And now you're talking to yourself too. Excellent.'_

Sighing, Cho forced herself to meet his eyes, refusing to give into her silly and unfound delusions "So… You wanted to see me?" she asked hesitantly, hating how her voice sounded squeaky in her nervousness.

Tom looked perfectly at ease, studying her as though she were a particularly interesting insect under a magnifying glass "Indeed"

Cho stared at him, perplexed by his odd behaviour "Care to elaborate on that?"

A tiny smile touched his thin lips "Is it necessary?"

"What?"

He slowed down his speech, his tone mildly sarcastic "Is it necessary?" he repeated "To elaborate"

"Unless you have another way of explaining, then yes" she retorted, annoyed at his condescension and way of talking in riddles.

Ignoring her completely, Tom cocked his head while he twirled his wand between long pale fingers "Tell me again Miss Chang" he began, his eyes flashing with some sort of emotion that Cho couldn't quite pinpoint "what was the reason for you to come and study at Hogwarts?"

Startled by the sudden change of subject, Cho faltered "I didn't"

Smirking, Tom mimicked her earlier words "Care to elaborate?"

Having quite enough of his teasing interrogation, Cho donned her most fierce expression which only seemed to amuse him further "Actually, it's none of your business. Now if you'll excuse me, I best be getting back to my dormitory"

Turning on her heel, Cho strode away from Tom who watched her contemplatively till she disappeared completely from view.

Once she was safely confined to the parameters of her very comfortable bed, Cho allowed her mind to wander. Her little stint with Riddle had flustered her too easily. Other people were also becoming too inquisitive for her liking, asking questions that had Cho fumbling for answers that she could scarcely make up in time. What would happen if she said something she wasn't supposed to? A slip of the tongue? She never thought being a terrible liar was a good trait till now when she needed it. She wasn't silly enough to take her fellow students for fools, and if she was as terrible of an actress as she knew she was, they would all suspect the truth sooner or later.

Not for the first time, Cho wondered _why_ she was here in the first place. Was it simply because she had inadvertently asked the Room of Requirement to take her away? A freak accident? Or was it something more than that?

On top of her already towering high pile of problems, Cho felt the nagging fear of changing the future. However disastrous and terrible the future would be, it scared her to think that she had the power to alter it. Sighing, Cho rolled over to her side, remembering her encounter with the Head Boy earlier on in the evening.

Tom Riddle made her paranoid and panicky, and no amount of logic or reasoning could explain it. She couldn't shake off the feeling she knew him from somewhere, or that he greatly resembled someone else. But how could she not remember someone like him? The intensity of his stare, his smooth, practiced gestures, the way that he would always seem to know what others were thinking…

Pulling her duvet up, Cho buried her face in it, feeling a headache creeping in that was too familiar of when she would think of time travel or the illustrious Head Boy.

Little did she know that both those things were very much intertwined.


	10. A Frightening Encounter

_Previously on 'The Redemption'... Cho finds a friend in Henry Pollux, Tom Riddle begins to become suspicious with her arrival at Hogwarts and Cho begins to feel the weight of her predicament._

**Chapter 10- A Frightening Encounter**

Tom hated mysteries almost as much as he hated surprises. He never cared for any form of spontaneity – careful planning was so much more efficient to gain his rewards. He was a young man of logic, reasoning and a thirst for knowledge that he almost always achieved in the end. He hated being in the dark about anything and he most certainly hated it when he didn't get what he wanted.

The Chang girl fit his rant perfectly.

After knowing her for the past few weeks, Tom surmised a small variety of things even when she tried her best to avoid him completely. It appeared that he was too quick to judge after their initial meeting as it seemed that his charms did not work on her at all. If anything, his conversations with her had her in an even colder mood which rendered her completely tight lipped about anything other than strictly the work they were completing.

But what frustrated him more than that was that he found himself _wanting_ to know more. He was going against every rule he had set himself by even thinking of that. Personal rapports and interest in other people were a distraction that Tom couldn't afford to have. There was no such thing as friendships to Tom, or Merlin forbid, actual _relationships_. It was just him and people he used for his advantage, no more and no less.

So why was he even considering this? Was it because he merely wanted to know about her, or did he want to know _her_? And if it were a bit of both, would this make him as disgustingly sentimental as all those boys who already fancied themselves in love with her?

"You dropped your quill" she said absently, not bothering to look up from her furious scribbling "And your ink pot is about to as well"

Tom felt a faint blush stain his alabaster skin, his careful control slipping for just a moment. Picking up his quill and righting his ink pot, Tom opened his textbook to a random page and pretended to read while he recovered.

_What in Merlin's name was wrong with him?_

"Delusional! That's what he is" fumed Arlene, pacing the floors of their shared dormitory "Utterly balmy!"

Cho laughed as she brushed out her long hair "Oh, he's not that bad Arlene. At least give him some credit for trying"

Arlene shot her friend a deadpanned look, "Cho, he hid the message inside of a flobberworm and expected it to be romantic"

Cho stifled a giggle "How did he get it in there anyway? I thought flobberworm's only ate lettuce?"

"No idea" groaned Arlene, plopping gracelessly onto her bed "That poor flobberworm.. Must have been uncomfortable having parchment inside of it though.."

Cho made a face, wrinkling her nose at the prospect "Did you say yes though?"

Arlene scoffed, twirling a lock of fiery red hair around her finger "Of course not"

Cho turned around to look at her friend, noticing her slight change in demeanour "Are you waiting for someone else to ask you?" asked Cho slyly, watching as Arlene blushed scarlet.

"N-no!" spluttered Arlene, shooting into an upright position as though on the defense "And who are you going with anyway?"

Cho shrugged nonchalantly "I don't know. The notice was only posted up this morning. And plus, I'm not sure I want to go"

Arlene looked sceptical "Everyone is going to the Christmas Ball! And plus, it's going to be our first one!"

Cho smiled and nodded along with her friend although she felt the pang inside of her at the mention of her first ball. The Yule Ball in her 5th year, with Cedric.

Misinterpreting Cho's sudden melancholy silence, Arlene piped up "Don't worry Cho, I know for a fact that there are plenty of boys that are going to ask you"

"If you say so" replied Cho, picking up her blue lined robes "But in the meantime, I've got to go to the library. Want to come?"

"Of course not" said Arlene cheerily, giving her friend a wide grin and a little wave "Have fun though! You never know which book could bite your hand off!"

Feeling a little happier than before, Cho shouldered her bag and took off towards the familiar route to the library, smiling at some passer-by's that she recognised as her classmates. After a few errant staircases that refused to turn her way, Cho arrived at the library.

"Back again Miss Chang?" said Madam Hunt, the significantly kinder matron of the library. Frizzy greying hair framed a thin face with huge glasses that magnified her greyer eyes "Here to meet Mr Riddle I presume?"

Cho smiled gently at the older woman, removing her books from her bag to stow into the tray labelled 'Returns'.

"Not today. I was just going to look for some leisurely reading material"

The librarian waved her wand, sending a whole stack of books zooming towards their homes on the shelves "A novel perhaps? We have both muggle and wizarding literature at the back if you're interested"

Cho shook her head, suddenly feeling rather nervous "Actually, I was wondering if there were any books on time travel. It seems very interesting, especially since I'm doing a related topic in Runes"

Madam Hunt's eyebrows shot up "Isn't that a bit heavy for bed time reading dear? Well if you really do want to know, I think there are half a dozen books in the restricted section I could find for you"

Cho smiled brightly "Really Madam Hunt? Thank you!"

Madam Hunt smiled at the spritely Ravenclaw girl indulgently "Only if you don't tell any of the Professors"

"Of course" agreed Cho, "Once again, thank you"

Madam Hunt bustled off to the Restricted to retrieve the books for Cho while she waited at the counter. It was pretty quiet in the library, most people already in their Common Rooms and readying themselves for bed. There were a few studious ones though, spread out across the more secluded tables out back where they wouldn't be as prone to distractions.

A few moments later, the motherly librarian returned, a large stack of books hovering in the air in front of her. She set the stack on the counter heavily, a cloud of dust erupting from the contact. Coughing lightly, Cho thanked her once again as she wrote it down in her records.

"It was no problem Cho, really" she said before spotting something over Cho's shoulder "Mr Riddle! Could you please assist Cho in bringing these back to her dormitory? Young ladies shouldn't be wandering the corridors at the time of the night alone after all. Especially after that nasty incident last year!"

Cho mentally groaned at the now familiar voice that answered back, knowing that she couldn't possibly back out of this without looking outright suspicious. Cho turned around, her fears confirmed when faced with the handsome Head Boy who expertly flicked his wand and had the books levitating in front of him with ease.

"Shall we?" he asked, his voice cordial though his eyes were challenging.

Not wanting to start anything, in public no less, Cho nodded and followed him out of the library wing as Madam Hunt bade them both a cheery goodnight. Once out of earshot, the pair fell into a silence that was neither comfortable nor awkward. However, having been housed with chatty girls for 7 years of her life did encourage her to make some conversation for once. Maybe this would help her get over her nervousness around him?

"What did Madam Hunt mean when she talked about the incident last year?" asked Cho, her soft lilting tone melding with the clicking of their shoes against the stone floors. Her question was met with silence and Cho was just about positive he wasn't going to answer till he replied with a short, flat statement that felt even stiffer than his usual formalities.

"It was an unfortunate series of events. They caught the culprit"

"What exactly do you mean by unfortunate?" asked Cho slowly, her interest building at his reluctance to talk. For some reason, it made her feel more comfortable knowing that he was uncomfortable and Cho wasn't going to let go of that fleeting feeling that fast.

His posture was possibly more rigid than a board "A student died" he replied in clipped tones, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he continued to walk faster, making Cho almost jog to keep up with him.

"How?" piped up Cho, hurrying her footsteps to catch up with him.

He turned around to look at her, his eyes flashing something that made Cho almost stop in her tracks "She was murdered" he said clearly, the words seeming to reverberate off the walls "Are we finished with the questions?"

Refusing to be scared by his change in demeanour, Cho ignored the alarm bells ringing in her head that could have been self- preservation "Riddle, you have a complete lack of ability to actually explain things"

He stopped walking, whirling around to face her in a frighteningly close proximity "Why should I have to explain anything to you?"

Backed up against the wall, Cho garnered all the confidence she could muster "Because you ask things of other people but you never give anything in return. Isn't that hypocritical?"

He sneered, the expression marring his aristocratic features "Aren't you? You go around ignoring me for weeks and now you suddenly feel the need to talk to me-"

"I thought I was being polite!" replied Cho hotly, quickly realising that this was no longer about the original topic they were discussing "Something that is apparently foreign to the likes of you!"  
"The likes of me?" seethed Tom, his eyes spitting fire "Don't you dare talk down to me just because you're-"

"I wasn't-"

Tom continued his raging rant, all reason and control long gone. His perfectly parted hair was now hanging in his crazed eyes while his wand was held too tightly in his grasp. Cho barely heard the words of his manic muttering for she was too focused on the crackle of energy in the air that tingled entirely too unpleasantly.

Suddenly, he raised his fist and hit the wall hard, the contact coming perilously close to her pale face.

Cho, petrified and cornered into the wall, stared at the deranged boy with wide eyes. He was panting heavily now, his breaths loud in the ringing silence of the deserted corridor. Coming out of his trance, he raised his head to look at her, his look of fury quickly melding into confusion then… horror?

Before he could open his mouth to say anything, Cho ducked under his arms and ran for it, her heart hammering as she sprinted as fast as she could to the safety of her common room. Once inside, she slumped against the wall, her limbs shaking as she brought her knees up to her chest. Her head was spinning, the image of the Head Boy's fury and his chilling words echoing through her head. She had never seen him lose his control like that before, and the terrifying thing was that Cho honestly thought that he was going to kill her right then and there.

Letting her head fall back against the wall, Cho closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would claim her and rescue her from her thoughts.

_**A/N:** Sorry about the wait guys! I hope this chapter wasn't too weird and OOC but i wouldn't put it past ol' Tom to have a (untimely) mental breakdown. Once again, thanks for reading and please review :)_

_DecoyDream_


	11. Party Plans and a Dangerous Game

**Previously...** _Arlene rejects a ball proposal from a boy who thought putting it in a flobberworm would be a good idea, Cho researches time travel and gets into a bit of trouble with the Head Boy who has a bit of a psychotic meltdown..._

**Chapter 11- Party Plans and a Dangerous Game**

Tom stared at the spot where she had just been, his eyes wide and vacant as his hand dripped blood onto the floor. He had no idea what had gotten into him, the feelings of anger and frustration so strong and sudden that he couldn't suppress it if he had thought to. The words spilled forth without consulting his mind and he was rendered helpless as she stared at him like he was a complete and utter lunatic.

As Tom slowly collected himself, he began to feel the throbbing pain in his hand as well as the consequences of his actions. Not only did he completely fail in his mission to get her to open up to him, he had now made quite the impression that he was a raving psychopath. So what was he to do now? Pretend nothing happened? Or find a way to make her…forget?

Tom dismissed the last idea completely, hating the thought of using such an intrusive tactic on her. Manipulating her feelings and thoughts didn't seem right somehow, though he had had no problems with that before he met her.

'_No'_, Tom thought, levitating the books she had forgotten in her haste_,' I'll have to win her trust the old fashioned way'_

With that thought, Tom sluggishly made his way to his private Head Boy dormitories, all the while wondering why he was making such an effort for her when she meant nothing to him.

Or so he kept telling himself.

"Merlin, Chang! Your eye bags are bigger than my school bag!" exclaimed Arlene, her eyes raking over Cho's dishevelled form "What happened to you?"

_'Nothing much, but just so you know your Head Boy is also a complete nutter'_ thought Cho, trying to inject some sort of humour into her overwrought mind but failing dismally. Everything about last night was anything but humorous. The intent that lurked behind his dark eyes had Cho shivering as she remembered it.

"I just stayed up doing my Charms essay" lied Cho easily, "Have you finished yours? It's due today"

She grinned "Of course" she announced proudly, puffing out her chest ever so slightly "Ravenclaw remember?"

Cho didn't smile back but was saved by the Professor's reedy voice that emanated across the area "Gather up students! We don't have all day now!"

The students grudgingly did as they were told, feeling the frost seep in through their robes as the winds blew around them. Cho herself huddled closer to Arlene, grateful that she had at least the sense to bring her blue and bronze scarf with her that morning for Care of Magical Creatures.

"Hey Cho"

Cho jumped, whirling around to see Henry grinning like a cat who got the cream. Scowling, she whispered furiously "Henry! Stop doing that! You scared me half to death"

He shrugged nonchalantly, digging his hands into his pockets "Not my fault you're awfully jumpy today Chang" he remarked lightly, his eyes grazing over her tired face "Bad sleep?"

"Something like that" muttered Cho, rubbing her eyes "You still up for some Quidditch practice tonight?" asked Cho, hoping he would say yes. Nothing was better than an exhausting training session to take her mind off things. Maybe if she was tired enough, she would be able to sleep properly.

"I cannot I'm afraid" said Henry, scratching the back of his head rather sheepishly "I have some… er, plans"

Cho's eyebrows rose with her interest "Plans? As in a date?"

"Something like that" said Henry, mimicking her earlier words though his cheeks were stained pink. Cho smiled to herself, allowing him some reprieve from her inevitable taunting for the time being. She wasn't sure why she was surprised that Henry had a romantic interest – any girl could see he was quite the catch, but maybe it was a bit like imagining your brother with someone else. It just didn't seem right. However Cho was happy for him, a good guy like Henry deserved a nice girl. She just hoped the mystery girl was good enough for her new friend.

Cho had successfully avoided Tom Riddle the entire day, exploiting all her knowledge on the castle to find shortcuts to classes so he couldn't possibly corner her. She knew it was juvenile and perhaps cowardly but she much preferred to call it self-preservation. After all, she had no idea what he was capable of, and after that incident she sure wasn't going to take any chances.

Peering out from behind a particularly hideously deformed statue, she surmised that the corridor was empty. Breathing a sigh of relief, Cho swiftly walked towards the direction of Ravenclaw tower, her eyes glancing at her watch.

"Cho, what are you doing here?"

Cho spun around, her wand drawn in record speed towards the perpetrator before recognising who it was. Lowering her wand, she tucked it back into her robes before coming closer to the dejected figure half slumped up against the wall, a bunch of wilted daisies in his hand.

"I could ask you the same thing" said Cho, sinking to the ground beside him "And what on earth did you do to these poor flowers Henry?"

Henry grimaced, tilting the bunch of floppy flowers in his hands "Ask your friend Arlene"

Cho's eyes widened, a small laugh of disbelief escaping her lips "You were on a date with Arlene tonight?" asked Cho incredulously "I didn't know you fancied her!"

"Now is not a good time to tease me Chang" groaned Henry, "Have you ever heard that muggle saying about kicking someone when they're down?"

"Not really" said Cho, softening her gaze at Henry who did indeed look quite put out "But I'm sorry for being insensitive"

He gave her a small smile though it didn't reach his eyes "It's fine"

A long silence descended between the two, both unsure of what to say. While Cho knew the kind of things to say usually, it was a completely different situation when talking to a boy. The coo's of encouragement would sound completely odd to Henry and Cho was positive that it would not be appreciated. But if she ignored the problem completely, how could she help a friend in need?

"Why are you frowning Chang? I'm sorry I couldn't practice quidditch with you tonight-"

"No, no" interrupted Cho, shaking her head so a few strands of hair came out of her loose ponytail "I'm not mad at you for that"

"Then what's on your mind?" asked Henry, looking at her with questioning eyes.

Determining that perhaps a conversation that took his mind off things was exactly what he needed, Cho scrambled for an answer and latched onto the first that came to mind. "I was just thinking about the Christmas Ball"

Cho saw the slight twitch in his face as he replied grimly "Conveniently, the one I was going to ask Arlene to tonight"

Seeing the flush of embarrassment on Cho's cheeks, he continued in lighter spirits "Who were you going to go with Chang? I bet you've already been asked"

"Nope, I haven't. I'm still not sure I want to go" replied Cho honestly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear "It's not really my type of thing anyway"

Henry quirked a brow, "I thought all girls liked going dancing?"

"Well you don't know too much about girls then" replied Cho jokingly, a smile spreading across her face as Henry faked a wounded expression.

"Well, that's unfortunate then" said Henry, suddenly donning a rather sombre expression as he looked sideways at a perplexed Cho "I was going to ask you to the ball"

Cho could only gape like a fish before she stammered "I-I don't think that would be er.. appropriate given the circumstances"

"I honestly don't think Arlene would mind considering she made her thoughts on my-" his nose wrinkled slightly as he thought of the word "proposal quite clear. And besides, we will be going as friends who enjoy each other's company. What's wrong with that?"

In the end, Cho agreed. Henry was a good friend of hers and she would have a good time with him at the ball. She wasn't interested in going with anyone else and the girls in her dormitory would force her to attend anyway. She only worried about Arlene's reaction when she would tell her – would she be mad, confused or completely nonchalant?

After bidding her goodbyes to Henry who decided to grab some food from the kitchens, Cho made her own way to Ravenclaw tower without any incident. Arlene, Lucinda and Sarah were perched on various couches doing their respective essays and homework, barely noticing as Cho walked through the portrait hole and up to their dormitory. Pushing the door open, Cho unlatched her outer cloak and placed it neatly on her chair beside her desk… which was currently occupied with a small tower of thick volumes.

Curiously, she rifled through them only to realise that these were the books she had borrowed just last night. After fleeing the scene, she had completely forgotten about it which must have meant that Riddle had brought these up for her somehow. Noticing the folded over piece of parchment placed on top of the stack, Cho cautiously picked it up and flipped it open all the while expecting it to explode or something just as unpleasant. To her surprise nothing at all happened, the perfectly neat handwriting staring up at her in stark black ink.

_"Miss Chang,_

_ I must apologise for last night's proceedings. I was not feeling well and I was not sure what came over me but I know that it is still a poor excuse for my words and actions towards you. I once again apologise for my behaviour and while I know that I ask too much; I hope you can forgive me. _

_ T. Riddle" _

Cho read through the note once more, her forehead creasing as the words ran through her mind. While his words were nice enough, she felt no sincerity in them. It was as if he were merely going through the notions of apologising, but never actually saying the apology. And even if he did, Cho was not sure if it was enough. People did not turn into crazed maniacs when they were simply 'not feeling well'. The more Cho thought about it, the more she realised that perhaps that facet of him was lurking underneath his perfectly crafted surface all along. She had always thought there was something off about him but she had put it down to paranoia. But what if it were completely logical? That she wasn't making this all up in her head?

Throwing the note into the crackling flames of the fireplace, Cho decided that perhaps two could play at this game. He for some unknown reason wanted something from her- as evident by the effort in writing a note, and she in return wanted to know why she felt that strange feeling of recognition. She knew it was foolish to play with fire; but her curiosity burned and she _needed_ to know if her suspicions were right. She was used to playing things safe, never doing anything that was risky or could potentially be problematic but now, in a different time she could be who she _wanted_ to be without expectations from her family or friends. She obviously still needed to watch her steps so as not to change the timeline but was it wrong to live a little whilst doing so? Even with the ill feelings towards the Head Boy, she hadn't felt so much at home and _normal_ in such a long time.

Cho watched the note smoulder into ashes, the hypnotic flames dancing and flickering in the grate. Suddenly, she opened up her desk drawer and drew out some parchment, ink and quill. Not bothering to sit down in her chair, she wrote a quick reply before dashing out towards the owlery before curfew was up.

**A/N:** _Thank you Waterily 3 and voldie's lover for the reviews and feedback! I appreciate it a lot :) As for everyone else, please review?_

_- DecoyDream_


	12. A Weak Pretence

**Previously... **_Tom apologises, Cho decides to go to the Christmas ball with Henry and then comes to a conclusion that even though she doesn't trust Riddle, she would rather try to fix that problem than run away from it._

**Chapter 12- A Weak Pretence**

Tom extinguished the lights in his room, about to make his way towards his bed when he heard an incessant tapping at the window. Irritable, and feeling oddly drained from the day, Tom made his way towards the window and opened it to allow a blast of freezing air and a ruffled looking barn owl through.

The owl perched itself on the side of his desk, giving him a baleful look while hooting softly. Tom absently patted the downy feathers on its head as he used his other hand to free the small scroll attached to his leg. As soon as he had released the message, the owl took off through the window and towards the Forbidden Forest, presumably to hunt for the night.

Making his way back to his bed, Tom drew the thick covers up to his waist before unfurling the small scroll that showed neat slanted script that held some degree of familiarity.

_"Thank you for returning my books._

_ Cho Chang"_

Tom's thin lips pulled up into a slight smirk as he read the note, noticing that she didn't at all respond to what he had sent. It was obvious that she didn't buy his pretty words and Tom found that he didn't mind. It was clear that she wasn't going to tell anyone and he found her behaviour surprising. She didn't fall for his charms or his apologies yet didn't cause any conflict by rejecting it either.

Unlocking his trunk and pulling out his leather bound diary, Tom slipped the piece of parchment inside one of the blank pages before locking it once more. Lying back against his pillow, Tom stared up at the ceiling while wondering about the strange oriental girl.

It was Saturday afternoon when Cho finally got to speak to Arlene without any interruptions. Sarah and Lucinda had left to go to meet up with some Gryffindor friends, leaving Arlene half napping in their dormitory and Cho nervously wringing her hands. When she had agreed to go to the ball with Henry, it seemed like a solid plan. However, upon reflection, she realised how badly this could end if Arlene did become upset with her. Arlene was one of her closest friends during this time – would she see it as a betrayal?

Cho sighed, so much for being courageous and 'living life' as she had declared to herself last night. It was much harder said than done when considering other things – like people's feelings for instance.

"What is wrong with you Chang? You've been off for days" said a voice, sounding alarmingly awake. Cho turned around, discovering that Arlene was not napping at all but looking rather awake and reading a fresh copy of "Witch Weekly".

Biting the bullet, Cho turned towards her friend and attempted to sound casual "You know the Christmas Ball right?"

Arlene gave her an odd look but nodded "Yes? What about it?"

"Well, someone asked me and I don't know if it's alright with you-"

"Henry asked you" she said lightly, her eyes not leaving the article she was reading "He told me. Don't worry; I don't have a problem with it"

Cho let go of the breath she hadn't known she was holding "Oh, that's a relief. Are you sure though?"

"Yes, I'm sure" she said, sounding like she actually meant it "But you are starting to sound like my mother"

Cho laughed, relieved "My friends use to say that too"

Arlene cocked a brow, putting down her magazine for a moment "I thought you were homeschooled?"

Cho floundered for a split second "I was. But I still had family friends and such"

Arlene seemed to accept her answer though there was a bit of suspicion in her tone "I see"

Cho sat down on her desk chair and decided to ask Arlene something that had been plaguing her for a while now "Umm.. Arlene, could I ask you something?"

Arlene finally put down her magazine and turned her attention towards Cho who looked strangely nervous "You can ask me anything as long as it doesn't take you a week to get to the actual question"

Cho gave her a tiny smile before continuing "I heard Madam Hunt talk about an incident that happened last year. Apparently a girl was… implicated?"

Arlene laughed, the sound short and sharp in the quiet of the room "By implicated, I think you mean murdered" she said bluntly before sitting up in her bed, her red hair falling out of its braid "Let me guess, you want to know all the juicy details on the gruesome death of the girl and just who that nasty criminal was?"

Cho blushed; pink flaming her cheeks "Something like that"

Arlene got into story telling mode, crossing her legs and beckoning Cho to join her "Well, as you know, it all happened last year. But first, you have to know the legend behind it"

"Legend?" asked Cho, mystified as to where this was heading.

Arlene nodded before continuing "Yes. As you may know, there were four founders of Hogwarts-"

"Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin" recited Cho, remembering the founders' names from 'Hogwarts- A History' "What about it?"

"Well, they all got along and were all well and dandy except for one-"

"Let me guess, Salazar Slytherin?" said Cho, remembering the picture of his rather sour disposition.

"Correct. Now Slytherin wanted to be more selective about the students allowed in his house. He believed that magic should stay in the older wizarding families or those with pure blood. The others didn't deserve to have magic"

Cho felt chills up her spine at Arlene's ominous words, why did this story sound so familiar?

"And so it was said that in order to purge the school of those undeserving, he built a secret chamber beneath Hogwarts and unleased a monster to do his work when his heir came to Hogwarts. It was called the Chamber-"

"Of Secrets" breathed Cho, her face paling in remembrance from her 3rd year at Hogwarts. She remembered how the muggleborns were petrified and the frightening words painted in blood on the stone walls. It was the work of He Who Must Not Be Named, possessing the young naïve mind and body of Ginny Weasley and not Hagrid who had been framed during her time and now.

To confirm her question, Cho asked and was surprised to find her voice only shook a little bit "Did they ever catch the culprit?"

Arlene frowned at this, her brow creasing "They did actually. It was a half giant boy named Hagrid. He was so gentle; I never thought he would do something like that"

So it was true. Hagrid had been framed now and in the future of terrible things he had not done. While Harry did not tell her of the happenings during his second year down in the Chamber, he did tell her that the young He Who Must Not Be Named had trapped his memory into the diary. If this incident had only just happened last year, the implications were clear to Cho – A young You Know Who could be wandering around these very halls and no one had any idea just who he would grow up to be.

Tom was looking forward to Ancient Runes today and he couldn't even deny that the reason was his project partner. He wondered if she would avoid him like she always did or whether something had changed during the three days they had not properly seen each other. Tom saw Cho fleetingly during meal times but she was always surrounded by friends and that Pollux boy that he held little regard for. She looked more tired than usual, purplish circles marring her perfect cream coloured complexion. He also noticed that she seemed quite pre-occupied, something that her friends also noticed with scowls upon their faces when they realised she wasn't listening to their silly stories.

"Hello"

Tom turned away from his musings and towards the muse herself "Hello, Miss Chang"

She gave a little smile in response though it did little to ease her troubled expression. She sat down and began unpacking her bags and organising her desk, giving Tom some time to scrutinise her a little further. Despite what he had predicted, she looked a bit more relaxed today beside him, slouching slightly in her seat as opposed to her rigid posture that always leant a little away from him. Her fatigue was heightened by the frown on her face as she fiddled with her quill. Tom wasn't sure what drove him to ask, or even why he cared but before he knew it, he had already spoke.

"Is there something wrong?"

The soft cadence of his velvet voice interrupted Cho's thoughts and she turned to him with as much composure as she could "It's nothing really, but thank you for asking"

Tom didn't believe her but he pressed on anyway "Does it make you uncomfortable to be in my presence?"

Her eyebrows rose up in disbelief at the bluntness of his question "I would be lying if I said no" she replied honestly, feeling his eyes on the side of her face as she examined the slightly uneven texture of her parchment.

"But that's not a yes either" he replied quickly, his tone low and persuasive.

Cho gave a jerk of her head, forcing herself to meet his deep blue eyes "I think it would be best if we didn't mention that night again"

He looked steadily into her dark brown eyes, a flicker of emotion simmering within them "If that is what you want. Do you propose that we start afresh?"

Cho gave him a wooden smile that felt false even to her "Sure that would be lovely" she responded politely. It seemed that the Head Boy was back to his carefully controlled persona, acting like the perfect gentlemen. While he didn't fool Cho, it wouldn't hurt to be civil to him while she was investigating. "By the way, would you like to meet at the library after dinner for our Runes project? I found some information that might be of use"

He twirled his wand with his long pale fingers, a habit that Cho had noticed several times now "In those books you borrowed the other night?" he asked in a questioning tone, referring to the time travel ones Madam Hunt had lent from the restricted section.

Cho nodded, her expression innocent "Yes, I found something from those"

Turning those piercing eyes away from her, he gave a small noise of affirmation "Very well, does 8:30 sound fine? Or does it clash with your Quidditch schedule?"

Cho didn't miss the sarcasm in his voice but chose to dismiss it for the sake of courtesy "That will be fine"

Tom was about to reply but the Professor chose to sweep in at that moment, speaking rapidly to them about their work for the day and giving Tom little time to speak to her again. Flipping open his textbook soundlessly, he perused the pages assigned while determinedly not looking towards his right for the rest of the lesson.

A/N: Long time, no see guys! (Or no updates anyway...). Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you liked todays chapter. Review if you wish ;)

- DecoyDream x


	13. Unexpected Help

**Previously... **_Cho calls for a truce of sorts and comes to the realisation that You-Know-Who could be walking along the halls of Hogwarts while no one else has a clue._

**Chapter 13- Unexpected Help**

Cho came back from her session in the library, feeling surprisingly good about how smoothly everything went. They had managed to get some work done without any problems and even had a few short conversations that didn't end in cold silences or yelling. She recalled the evening with some degree of fondness, the corners of her lips quirking up as she realised that she actually had a good time with Riddle tonight.

_Tom sat with perfect posture; his back ram rod straight and facing her as she found him in their regular spot in the library. Sitting down, Cho murmured a quiet greeting which he returned without looking up from his book._

_ "Anything interesting in there?" asked Cho, pulling out the things she would need from her satchel. _

_ "Not really" replied Tom in clipped tones, closing the book with a snap "The information is really quite repetitive"_

_ Cho giggled at his slightly vexed expression, to which he looked up sharply with narrowed eyes. She apologised, stifling her laughter "Sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me"_

_ He looked disbelieving for a moment but returned to his perusal of the books and journals that lay in stacks across the desk. The two continued working over relative silence till their eyes blurred from their extensive reading over tiny script. Cho was about to call it a night when she realised that it was now a good opportunity to get to know Riddle better. She was still suspicious of him, and she could hardly forget about the other night but Cho naturally tried to find the good in people. After the incident that happened between them as well as her initial ill feelings towards him, where was the good in Riddle? It had to be in there somewhere though he seemed quite determined not to show it._

_ "So Riddle, are you doing anything over Christmas this year?" asked Cho, her eyes on his face that tensed infinitesimally. His hand paused over his piece of parchment, a drop of ink spattering over his work._

_ "I'll be staying at Hogwarts" he replied curtly, clearly not wanting to continue the conversation. _

_Undeterred, Cho continued her casual questioning "I didn't think too many students stayed over the holidays…"_

_ "I don't have a home to return to" he ground out, his lips pressed into a thin line "Hogwarts is my home"_

_ Sympathy coloured her tone as she realised that Tom was an orphan. She was reminded of Harry, who like Tom stayed at Hogwarts during the Christmas period because it was better than going back to the muggles they stayed with. The difference was that Harry had friends like the Weasley's to look after him where as Tom Riddle had no one but himself. _

_ Seeing the expression on Cho's face, Tom sneered "I don't want your pity"_

_ Cho blinked, surprised at the venom in his voice when she didn't mean to offend him "I do not pity you Riddle, I'm being sympathetic. I guess I'm an orphan too now"_

_ His expression cleared back to his usual inexpressiveness though it showed a tiny spark of curiosity that he tried to hide "You guess you're an orphan?"_

_ Cho nodded solemnly, fighting back the sadness that usually came with her parents memory "They were kidnapped not too long ago. The Aurors never found them"_

_ "I'm sorry" said Tom, his voice softer than usual. Cho glanced up to look at him, observing his wide dark eyes upon his pale face. He was looking at her, a tinge of pain as well as anger behind the blue irises that made her believe he was being sincere. She wasn't sure what he was thinking but the gesture was appreciated all the same._

_ "Thanks" she replied hastily, realising that she had been staring at him for a moment too long. Switching the topic to a less depressing one, Cho continued her conversation while she still had him there. _

_ "What do you want to do once you leave Hogwarts?" she asked, real curiosity in her voice now. Tom Riddle was undoubtedly a brilliant wizard, with top academic marks as well as the charisma and charm needed to excel at many occupations. She could imagine him being the Minister of Magic or perhaps a Professor in his chosen field. _

_ Deliberating for a moment, Tom eventually replied "I haven't set my mind on anything yet. How about you?"_

_ To be honest, Cho hadn't thought much about her future. She had assumed that by the end of the school year she would have found a way to get back to her time. Staying here had not seemed like an option, but what if it was? If she were to stay longer, she would need a job and income and a home. It would probably be a good idea to have a contingency plan if that happened._

_ "I haven't set my mind on anything either" replied Cho, a grim look on her face before it brightened at a sudden thought "I have always wanted to be a Healer though."_

_ Tom nodded, his voice contemplative "I can imagine you being a healer"_

_ Cho blushed at his words, quickly packing her things into her bag to cover her embarrassment. Tom either studiously ignored her odd behaviour or didn't notice it, packing his things away too. They both stood and left the library, a sort of comfortable silence descending between them though Cho could feel the burn from his eyes on the side of her face every now and then. Sooner than she expected, they had arrived at Ravenclaw tower and Cho turned to face Riddle, her words caught in her throat from a sudden bout of nervousness. _

_ "Uhh… I'll see you in class later. Thanks for walking me up Riddle"_

_ He gave her an indecipherable look "Just call me Tom"_

_ Startled, Cho acquiesced to his request "Goodnight then Tom" she enunciated, the use of his first name oddly intimate sounding on her lips. A flash of something crossed his face, gone so quickly that Cho couldn't discern what it was. Giving her a nod of acknowledgement, Tom bade a quick goodnight before abruptly walking away from her, leaving Cho looking quite perplexed as she watched him leave._

Cho shook herself out of her thoughts, deciding that it was about time that she did some of her extracurricular homework– research on time travel. Between class, quidditch, homework and her abundance of errant thoughts, she hadn't had a lot of opportunity to conduct her research. Taking advantage of the fact that her dormitory was empty tonight and devoid of prying eyes, Cho enlarged the shrunk textbooks she had borrowed and pulled out the most promising one. Flipping to her bookmarked page, she tugged away the spare bit of violet ribbon and traced the paragraph that had caught her attention.

_"While there is no definitive proof on the outcome of time travel (whether it be by time turners or other means), it can be generally separated into two theories. The first theory, proposed by Edmund Prawemit in 1745 states that "One cannot change the future as the time traveller is taken into account and would therefore not alter fate". Alternatively, Markos Shcindler (1801) proposes that one can change the future based on their actions and choices as well as many other variables discussed on pages 438….."_

So were these the two options for her? And if so, how could she get away from this experience without changing the future? For all she knew, just her presence could have unsettled the time line already. Deciding that a long postponed visit to Dumbledore was in order, Cho fastened a cloak around her neck and darted out of her dormitory.

Tom walked silently along the darkened corridors, his illuminated wand held steadily in front of himself. The 4th floor was his last to patrol for the night and little of consequence had happened this evening to warrant a more thorough search. About to turn in the direction of his Head Boy dormitories, Tom paused in his steps as he heard muffled cries up in front. Quickening his pace, Tom rounded the corner, half expecting to see a foolish first year stuck in a suit of armour.

But it wasn't a silly first year, nor was there a suit of armour in sight. Instead, there was a frightened girl, her wand held shakily in front of her as she repeated something over and over. Even from the slight distance and darkness, Tom could see the tracks of tears running down her pale face while she gasped as if in pain. Moving closer, Tom saw an immobile figure laying on the floor that was quite obviously the cause of her distress. The boy seemed to about their age, with brown blond hair and a handsome face and empty looking grey eyes. His clothes were peculiar, a sweater of yellow and black – the Hufflepuff colours. But even more curious was the fact that he was streaked with dirt and blood, his clothing slightly torn and ragged in places. Tom was quite certain he had never seen this boy before, let alone when he was alive.

"R-Ridikulus!" said Cho, her hand shaking so badly that she almost dropped her wand. She tried a few more half hearted attempts but it was clear she was giving into her fear. So suddenly that Tom almost gave up his hiding place, she crumpled to the floor beside the body, her shoulders shaking with the force of her grief.

"Cedric you promised me you'd always be there" whispered Cho, her voice tinged with sadness and longing as she continued to cry "You promised"

Tom watched from the shadows with calculating eyes, wondering who this Cedric was. A friend perhaps? Or more likely, a lover? And why did her boggart change into him? Stowing away these thoughts for later, Tom decided to intercede before she became even more distraught. He hated to admit it, but the sight of her being in such pain caused a strange feeling inside of him that was decidedly disagreeable though he often revelled in others discomfort. Stepping out from where he was half hidden, Tom faced the body with his wand raised but not before the boggart began to change shape.

The boy's body morphed and twisted, the shape stretching and pulling until it turned completely black. The blackness spiralled, circling around itself and leaving Tom confused. That was his worst fear? Or was it what it symbolised? Ignoring these thoughts for now, Tom pictured something trivial and clearly said "Ridikulus!" with a practiced flourish of his wand. Repelling the boggart, Tom forced the creature back into the cupboard that it had come from, locking the door with a resounding click.

Tom turned around, half expecting Cho to say something but she wasn't even looking at him. She was still staring at the spot where Cedric was, her eyes bloodshot and watery while her hands fisted so tightly that Tom was quite sure she was about to draw blood.

"Miss Chang, are you alright?" asked Tom coolly, refusing to be anything beyond detached and polite – it wasn't his place to comfort people after all. At her continued silence, Tom sunk to his knees and spoke more loudly, his voice full of authority "Miss Chang?"

Feeling slightly alarmed at her catatonic state, Tom reached out and gently touched his hand to her quivering shoulder "Cho?"

She recoiled violently from his touch, before seeming to realise who it was "T-Tom?" she stuttered, her eyes dark against her pale, rounded face "W-what are you doing here?"

"Prefect patrols" he said tersely, aware of how dangerously close he was to her "I took care of the boggart"

She ran her fingers through her tousled strands, her weary eyes meeting his "Thank you. I'm so sorry you had to see me like this" she apologised, her cheeks still wet. Her reddened gaze travelled to where Cedric's body had been moments before, surprising Tom by emitting a small hysterical giggle.

"You must think I'm completely crazy" she laughed, the corners of her lips lifting up in a feeble attempt of a smile. Tom found himself inexplicably enjoying her soft laughter, the foreign feeling spreading warmth throughout his body. As odd and rare the feeling was, Tom decided to enjoy it for the time being – a moment of weakness that he welcomed.

Rising to his feet effortlessly, Tom held out his hand to help Cho up who grasped his hand without any hesitation. He handed back her wand, fighting back the smirk that was threatening to appear.

"Then I suppose we're even. May I escort you back to your dormitory?"

Cho took his proffered arm and her smile widened, feeling a fraction of her worries ebbing away as he returned with a small smile of his own. He looked so much more handsome when he smiled, the genuine happiness beneath his usual impassive expression giving a subtle light to his eyes that made them a lighter blue. Turning away her gaze to hide the faint flush to her cheeks, she allowed herself to be escorted back to her dormitory.

**A/N:** _As always, thanks for reading._

_DecoyDream x_


	14. Guilt and Weaknesses

**Previously... **_Cho gave Tom a chance and finds that he's not actually that bad of a person while Tom fends off a ghost of her boyfriends past. _

**Chapter 14- Guilt and Weaknesses**

Guilt.

That was the overwhelming feeling that enveloped Cho like a prickly blanket as she lay in bed that night. Not fear from the boggart or contentment at seeing Riddle have an expression other than emptiness and bitterness. It was just guilt – guiltiness for betraying Cedric's memory by having these thoughts about _him_.

Cedric had been more than a silly crush to her, and when he came back from the Third Task unmoving it had almost broken her spirit completely. People would call her weak, say that she would get over it; but Cho knew she never would. There would always be a part of her heart that yearned for the grey eyed boy who was also her best friend and confidante. He was there when other's weren't, a comforting presence that understood her so completely that Cho felt as though she knew him longer than the few short years they spent together. Even though she had been a young girl of 15 when he passed, Cho could truthfully say that she loved him with all her heart and if things had turned out differently, she knew that he would have proposed to her after graduation.

But things hadn't turned out the way they had planned, so why did Cho feel guilty? She had felt guilty when feelings for Harry arose and what good did that do? It had made her paranoid and distracted and even though Harry was too nice to say it to her face, she was not fun to be around. She cried and grieved and the only glue that held her together even left and married Ginny Weasley. She knew if Cedric were here, he would want her to be happy but she still couldn't let herself, and especially not with someone like _Riddle_.

Expelling the air out of her lungs, Cho turned to her side while hugging her pillow close to her chest. Riddle. She hated thinking about him as every time she did, it would lead into a sleepless night. But sometimes it was as unavoidable as a plague, and after that night's events, it was certainly unavoidable.

He suited his name for he was a riddle. Enigmatic, mysterious, cold and even psychotic on one occasion but these were all things that Cho were used to until tonight. Tonight he had shown her a different facet to his personality and even though it only lasted for a few short moments, it was unmistakeable. There was vulnerability in him tonight as he spoke to her and for once Cho believed that was the most honest and truthful he had ever been with her. Usually there was wall around him, a mask that protected him from whatever he was scared of. His indifference stopped other people from getting close to him and Cho was one of those people but now she wasn't so sure. Was there more to Tom Riddle than her suspicions? Would it be terrible if she genuinely wanted to be friends with him? And more importantly, would he allow her in?

And what of Dumbledore's words tonight before she encountered the boggart? She had originally come to him asking for progress on her situation but it was clear that he was otherwise preoccupied. There was hardness to his usual twinkling blue eyes and serene smile and she observed weariness about his limbs. She had asked about it, and he had told her. Cho had chided herself in his office, not believing that she could possibly forget that this was the height of the war led by Grindelwald. Even though she knew Dumbledore would triumph in the end, she couldn't tell him that lest it would change something. In the end, Dumbledore had promised Cho he would further look into a way to get her back to her time after she revealed the small bits of research she had been doing on the matter. They bade each other goodnight but just as she was about to exit his office, he called her back and asked her a strange question.

"What do you think of our Head Boy?"

Cho had stammered back a reply, something about him being resourceful and kind and other lies that she couldn't recall now. She remembered how Dumbledore had knowingly smiled at her then, giving a small nod and murmuring something to himself before waving her off. Even though it was a seemingly innocent question, Cho felt nervous and flushed when faced with it.

Glad that there was no one here to see her embarrassment, Cho slid further beneath her covers and closed her eyes while willing herself to get to sleep.

Weakness.

That was what it was. Being with Cho Chang was a weakness that he could not afford and tonight had been evidence of that. He tried to push away that strange warm feeling inside of him as he remembered her soft laughter and smiling eyes but it was impossible. For some reason that Tom could not fathom, Cho Chang brought out parts of him he didn't know he had – a goodness that he was sure didn't exist till now. She made him want to _care_ for her, and while Tom knew that was a long way from what 'goodness' was, it was the beginnings of it and the feeling scared him more than he would like to admit.

For now she would just be a distraction but then the distraction would lead to a problem and the problem could lead to a catastrophe, and that was not a chance he could take. His plans had been set in motion for such a long time that he didn't take into account some silly notion like a _girl_.

But she wasn't just a silly girl to Tom and he knew that if push came to shove, he would not be able to completely abandon her to recklessly pursue his plans. On the other hand, Tom knew that no matter how many scenarios he dreamed up or how persuasive he could be, Cho would never accept the ideals he had created for him and his followers. While she was pureblooded, as reported by Cygnus, he could not imagine a girl with such delicate sensibilities to share the same fervour that his followers attained. She obviously had nothing against mudbloods or muggle filth, associating with them without prejudice and even partaking in actual _friendship_ with them.

He didn't know the exact moment when, but somehow along the way she had wormed her way into his thoughts at an alarming rate, swarming his very being like a plague. It became more than a game to him, more than finding out why she was so guarded. He found he genuinely enjoyed her company – her soft Scottish accent that became more pronounced when she was tired, the spark in her eyes when Tom didn't agree with her or even the seriousness he saw in her face as she completed an essay or piece of homework. She was just like every other girl at Hogwarts but different at the same time and Tom found himself wanting her far above the rest.

But even as Tom contemplated these ridiculous thoughts, he couldn't help but wonder if she returned the sentiments. As charming as he knew he was, he was acutely aware of the fact that Cho Chang was an attractive person that could potentially attract many suitors that may pose a problem to him. Even if Tom consciously made the decision to somehow include her into his future plans, there was no guarantee that she would agree to it. Furthermore, from the evening alone, it looked as though Cho Chang's heart already belonged to another.

_Cedric._

The unfamiliar name that she had breathed with such longing and love that it made Tom's insides churn with foolish jealousy. He yearned to know more about him – who he was to her and where he was now. But how could he ask her that without triggering some sort of suspicion on her behalf? Perhaps it would be best if he didn't question it – after all, Tom knew better than anyone else that some secrets were better left untold.

**A/N:** _Sorry about the shorter than normal chapter - it just seemed like a good place to finish! Also, thanks for the reviews, particularly to sectumsempsarah (haha, i see what you did there...) who confessed to being a silent lurker of this story but still finally reviewed anyway :P_

_Love,_

_DecoyDream x_


	15. Good Intentions and a Game

_**Previously on 'The Redemption'... Cho and Tom seriously consider their feelings about each other.**_

**Chapter 15- Good Intentions and a Game**

The upcoming Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor match had Cho busy almost every morning of the week. She would get up at the crack of dawn, the sun barely creeping up over the horizon as she meandered her way down to the snow laden pitch where the rest of her sleep deprived team would be waiting. Henry, adopting much of the same erratic and slightly neurotic behaviour of Oliver Wood, would drive them to the ground with training and practice.

Knowing better than to grumble about it, Cho obediently kept up the pace though she was frustrated with using the school brooms that were much slower than her Comet back home. She had little alternative though, knowing that the extra money Dumbledore gave her (and that she still hadn't found a way to repay him for) would not be enough to cover the cost of a new broom.

Sighing, Cho pushed her knotted hair out of her face while she drifted off alone to the change rooms. Propping her broom up on one of the lockers, she pulled off the water logged outer layers of her robes, wrinkling her nose at the mud and grass stains. She would definitely have to send a thank you note to the house elves if they manage to salvage any of today's clothes. Stepping into one of the shower cubicles, she peeled off the rest of her quidditch robes, relishing the warm spray of water that instantly relaxed her muscles.

"Cho, are you in there?" called a loud and distinctly male voice.

Cho dropped the bottle of shampoo she was holding, watching half of its translucent purple contents swirl down the drain. Setting it upright, Cho turned the water off quickly and wrapped a fluffy white towel around herself.

"Henry, could this conversation not wait 2 minutes?" she yelped, hoping that he was well outside the change rooms.

His voice sounded sheepish "Oh right, I'm sorry about that. I'll be waiting outside then"

Sighing, Cho switched the water back on and completed the rest of her bathroom routine with half the amount of time she would usually use. Dressing hurriedly in casual muggle clothing and with her Ravenclaw scarf wound loosely around her neck, she stepped out of the steamy change room and into the substantially colder area just outside. Henry was where he said he would be, leaning up against a stone pillar with his gloved hands shoved deep into his pockets.

"You wanted to see me?" asked Cho, approaching his lone figure. Her breath rose up in small puffs of white, reminding her of her childhood where she would pretend to be a dragon during the chilly winter months. Smiling a little to herself, Cho reached Henry, her smile dissipating rapidly as she saw how uncharacteristically serious looked.

"Yes, I wanted to talk to you about something" he said, his voice tinny and nervous "because we're friends"

Feeling slightly alarmed now, Cho prodded him to continue "Of course we are. What is it Henry?"

He took a deep breath before blowing it back out noisily "It's about Riddle"

Cho assumed her best demeanour of normalcy as she replied with a politely curious tone "What about him exactly?"

"I know it's none of my business and you're free to be with whoever you like. But as a friend to a friend, Riddle is bad news. There's something off about him Cho, and whatever it is, it can't be anything good"

He looked at her as though she would explode at him and that was going to be her first reaction - to defend Riddle, to claim that Henry's allegations were completely unfound and unjust. But that was not true seeing that Cho had those exact same feelings and she knew that Henry always had good intentions. He was just warning a friend and Cho appreciated that he cared enough about her to do that.

"I agree with you" breathed Cho, giving Henry a small smile to show she wasn't at all mad with him "But everyone needs a friend as good as you- even Riddle"

Henry spluttered, looking baffled at the idea "Riddle has friends! It doesn't mean you have to take on the job!"

"I wouldn't call Malfoy and Black friends as much as lackeys" remarked Cho grimly, tugging at the ends of her scarf "And he's not as bad as you think he is"

Sensing the determination in her face, Henry knew he was fighting a losing battle with her. As stubborn as she was, his new seeker was not foolish and a lot tougher than she looked. Although Henry would never stop disliking Riddle, perhaps he would give her the benefit of the doubt this time. He only hoped that she had better sense than to be one of those girls who fancied themselves in love with the Head Boy.

"Fine but be careful. He better not try to take liberties with my favourite seeker" said Henry seriously, though he was grinning at her with sparkling eyes "Or he'll have me to answer to"

Cho laughed loudly, ducking her head as though embarrassed "Henry, let's not make these talks a regular thing okay?"

Henry chuckled, pulling Cho into a bear hug that crushed her to his warm body that reverberated with his laughter "I should probably stick to quidditch shouldn't it?"

Cho silently agreed, before pulling away and heading back to the castle arm in arm with her friend, feeling warm and happy despite the frost that settled into her clothes.

"Cho, eat something. You look like you're about to pass out" commented Arlene unhelpfully, watching Cho's usual pale face turn a very light shade of greenish grey. She shoved a plate of pancakes doused in sticky syrup towards her but she rejected it with a grimace. While Cho usually loved anything sweet, the very sight of it mixed with her jumble of nerves made her want to retch.

Arlene sighed, pushing a single piece of toast towards her "At least eat this then. I don't want you plummeting to your death because you didn't have enough energy to ride a broomstick"

Cho muttered her thanks and bit down into the dry toast, churning it around in her mouth before chasing it down with water. She was only half way through it when Henry came running down the Great Hall, calling for her and the others to get down to the change rooms right away. Dropping the toast, Cho got up and thanked those that wished her good luck on the first match of the season before rushing out of the Great Hall.

She had just rounded the corner when she suddenly bumped into something solid, sending her almost crashing to the ground if it were not for the person that steadied her.

"Good morning Miss Chang"

Cho smiled at Tom, noticing that he looked as impeccable as ever, his expression neutral save for the gleam in his eyes "Hello Tom. Are you going to watch the game today?"

She wasn't sure when she had gotten quite so comfortable with the Head Boy but at some point during the last few days, her mind decided to genuinely give him a chance to prove that he genuinely likes her as a friend. No games, no ulterior motives. Just two people who respect each other enough to be on friendly terms. It seemed fair didn't it?

Tom's eyes raked over her robe clad form, noticing that she was dressed for quidditch with the tell-tale bronze and blue uniform. Truthfully, he had never attended a game before as he believed it was just another way for idiots to add brain damage to further their list of incapabilities.

"I don't find much joy in quidditch actually" he replied truthfully, instantly regretting it as he saw the hurt in her lovely dark brown eyes that stared back at him. He quickly amended his blunder, not quite understanding what possessed him to say it other than reflex "But I might make an exception today and see what all the fuss is about"

Cho beamed at him then, startling Tom that such an expression was aimed at _him_ "I'll see you there then! I hope you're going to root for Ravenclaw!"

Tom smiled indulgently at her, amused by her sudden enthusiasm and happiness "Good luck then"

Cho wrapped her arms around Tom's middle, not noticing as he froze at her touch "Thanks" she chirped, breathing in his clean soapy scent "I'll see you later then!"

Before Tom could react, Cho had flounced away towards the double doors that led to the quidditch pitch. He didn't know what made her breach his personal boundaries like that but he found it wasn't at all disagreeable. It was new and warm and she smelled like a comforting mix of floral tea. Feeling the lingering stares of curious students that were beginning to exit the Great Hall, Tom hastily made his way to the doors too, aware that it suddenly felt a little too warm inside.

The actual game was as dull as ever but Tom found it fascinating to watch the Ravenclaw seeker. She appeared to be in her natural element on the pitch, slicing through the air with ease and grace. Her hair whipped through the wind, a curtain of black trailing through the speckled white skies as it snowed heavily. There were several points in the game when Tom thought that the golden snitch was almost captured before it fluttered away out of the seeker's reach. There were also several maddening moments when Tom almost broke the handle of his wand out of anxiety when Cho almost got hit with a bludger. Convinced that someone had obviously put something in his morning pumpkin juice, Tom sat back down on the semi frozen bench next to Abraxas Malfoy trying to look as composed as possible.

"The new Ravenclaw seeker's not bad is she?" asked Abraxas casually, his eyes trained on the progress of the quaffle. He whooped loudly as one of Ravenclaw's beaters hit a bludger at a Gryffindor, almost unseating him completely from his broomstick.

"No, she isn't" remarked Tom quietly as he kept an eye on her.

Abraxas' grin turned feral, his luminous grey eyes sparkling with ill intent "And she's not bad looking either for a blood traitor"

Tom turned rigid, his jaw tensing at Malfoy's words "You will not speak of her like that" said Tom quietly, his voice a deadly whisper that was all too familiar to Abraxas.

Recognising that this was the voice of his master and not the Head Boy, Abraxas lowered his gaze as well as his voice "My apologies my lord"

Tom nodded stiltedly, though the anger was still evident in his darkened eyes. He did not like the way Abraxas spoke of her as it suggested that perhaps he had also had this discussion with his Slytherin friends too. On more than one occasion, Tom had delved into the minds of his followers and was disgusted by what he found there. There were lust driven images and other things that were unmentionable at best that he found despicable. Tom had also seen the picture of an attractive oriental girl in more than one boy's mind and while not particularly taken aback by the fact, he still resented that others noticed her beauty too.

So while Tom had not come up with a solid plan on how to keep Cho by his side, he knew he couldn't protect her from his followers till they were convinced she was off limits in every sense of the word. He wished he could soundly say that his followers obeyed his every word and demand but some lacked control and had paid dearly for it. The only person he could trust with her was himself.

Tom wore a brittle smile as Ravenclaw scored another goal. He had always been a selfish person, and he definitely intended to keep her by his side whether she wanted to or not. She was in too deep now and Tom never denied himself anything he wanted.

Cho was smiling so much, her cheeks hurt from the exertion. Ravenclaw had won the match against Gryffindor the day before and she was still riding the high that resulted from her teams' victory. Once Cho had caught the elusive snitch and fluttered to the ground amidst the cheering crowds, her team mates crushed her into hugs, dwarfing their comparatively tiny seeker. Surprisingly, Tom had also come down to congratulate her, offering her a small smile and polite words that made her heart skip even when she thought about it. She hadn't felt that loved in a long time, not since Cedric had passed and her life had been turned upside down. It felt nice to have companionship again even if it were fleeting should she return back to her own time. She should enjoy it while she can.

"What do you think of this?" asked Arlene loudly, pulling Cho out of her reverie by swishing a long black dress in front of Cho's face "Is it too sinister looking for a ball?"

Cho pursed her lips, looking at the robes that looked a lot like something a witch would wear in a muggle child's book "A little bit. Don't you want to wear something a little bit more festive?"

Arlene shrugged though there was a mischievous gleam in her eye "I did always want a dress made completely out of tinsel… I wonder if they sell that here?"

Cho shook her head, adamant that her friend would wear nothing of the sort. "Here let me have a look for you". Trailing her fingertips across the racks of dress robes, she paused at a lovely emerald green one before pulling it out with a flourish. It was long and made of silk, the colour vibrant and complimentary to Arlene's fiery red hair. "How about this one?"

Arlene's distracted gaze wandered over to what Cho was holding, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the dress dangling from the hanger "Oooh, that's nicer than a tinsel dress"

Cho resisted the urge to snort in laughter, instead clapping a hand over her mouth "I would like to think so, yes". Shoving it in Arlene's direction, Cho scooted her friend over the change rooms to try it on. Arlene didn't object, rustling the red velvet curtains till she got them to close completely.

Meanwhile, Cho returned to the racks of dresses, perusing through the small selection that weren't attached to tags marked with ridiculous prices. There wasn't much to look at though, and Cho was about to toss-up between a strange olive brown dress and another pink one that held far too many ruffles.

The sound of a curtain swishing open caught Cho's attention, making her turn around to see Arlene in her gown. She twirled around a few times, the hem of the dress a little bit too long because of her bare feet.

"So what do you think?" she asked, rocking on her heels like a child "Is it too much?"

Cho smiled at her friend, "Of course not, you look beautiful"

Arlene beamed, her face glowing with happiness "Why thank you!"

Cho's eyes trailed after the two hideous dresses she was looking at earlier "I suppose I should try something on too…"

Arlene made a face "Chang, I thought you had better taste than that!" she said, waving her hand towards the general direction of the dresses "And you don't need to anyway. I bought you a dress as an early Christmas present"

Cho blinked owlishly, her eyebrows raised: "When did you do that?"

Arlene smirked, lounging in a nearby armchair in her new dress "I snuck out into Hogsmeade the other week. And tell Henry to wear a blue tie"

Cho objected, her eyebrows furrowed "You can't do that, it's too much for a present!"

Arlene dismissed Cho's words with a roll of her eyes "It really isn't. And plus, if it makes you feel better, you can help me with History of Magic for the rest of the year. I don't remember the first thing about troll rebellions of 1764-"

"Goblin rebellions of 1616 you mean" corrected Cho automatically, a small smile forming on her face as Arlene laughed good naturedly.

"Precisely" replied Arlene, running her hands over the smooth silk "You are an invaluable resource as well as my best friend. You will accept the present whether you like it or not"

Cho grinned, touched that Arlene would consider herself as her best friend despite only knowing each other for a few months. Stepping over to the counter, Cho picked up a comb glittering with green and clear crystals before placing it in Arlene's hair.

"Perfect" announced Cho, stepping back and admiring her choices while Arlene spun around again only to be scolded by the slightly harried looking shopkeeper. The older woman glanced at the two girls with narrowed eyes, her eyes resting on the delicate dress that Arlene was currently wearing.

"Would you like me to wrap those up for you dear?" she asked pointedly, her spectacles sliding down her long nose.

Arlene curtsied deeply, a mocking smile on her lips as she adopted an overly formal tone "That would be lovely Madam Malkin"

Cho stifled her giggles, turning away to avoid Madam Malkin's hawk like eyes and Arlene's poor impersonation of the shopkeeper just behind.

_**A/N: Thank you for your reviews and continued support. I'm sorry my updates aren't particularly timely but i'll try and update when i can! :) **_


	16. The Christmas Ball

_**A/N:** _Ask and you shall receive... This one is for** genevieves15**! ;) Thanks for your lovely review and I hope your classmates suck a little less in the future!

_**Previously**... Henry warns Cho about Tom, Tom begins to embrace his (relatively good) feelings about Cho and Ravenclaw wins the game._

**Chapter 16- The Christmas Ball**

Christmas was fast approaching and along with it, the highly anticipated Christmas Ball. Hogwarts castle had been decorated most lavishly, with huge Christmas trees that lurked in every corner of the Great Hall was well as various ornaments that glittered and changed colour. The enchanted ceiling added to the festivities, the snow falling in delicate swirls so it reflected a sort of winter wonderland. Christmas had always been Cho's favourite holiday but this time it seemed empty without her family and her mother's cooking. Every year the Chang family would invite their friends over and the children would play games while the adults would drink whisky and mead in the drawing room. Cho missed chasing around the little children around their large home, their shrieks and giggles echoing down the hall.

For the first time, Cho would have to stay at Hogwarts through the Christmas holidays. While Hogwarts was almost home to her, it would feel much emptier without the friends she had grown to love by her side. Henry was going to Greece with his brother and Arlene, who offered to stay with Cho, was forced to go home for the holidays by her slightly overbearing parents. Even Sarah and Lucinda had plans for the holidays, leaving Cho all alone in her dormitory and possibly even the Ravenclaw common room.

But determined to make good of her situation, Cho decided it was probably a good thing. She had work to catch up on after her extensive amounts quidditch practice and she was also behind on her extra-curricular reading. She was so preoccupied by things lately that she had forgotten about her time travelling situation altogether. She was beginning to like it here but knew it was futile to hope that time would allow her to stay. Time was a tricky thing to say the least, volatile and unpredictable at best and Cho should really get back to her own time anyway.

Cho thought of the amount of paperwork that would be on her tiny overcrowded desk at the Ministry as well as the empty home that would be waiting for her. While it seemed dreary and depressing, it was where she belonged and she should really remember that before getting too attached to her time in the past.

Frowning, Cho continued to towel dry her hair before giving up and using her wand to produce a steady jet of air instead. She was almost finished with her hair when Arlene swept into the dormitory with a large parcel in her arms.

"Your dress milady" she announced grandly, setting the parcel carefully upon Cho's neatly made bed. "If you need me, I shall be getting ready in the bathroom"

Before Cho could thank her, Arlene had already disappeared, the sound of water splashing faintly being heard through the walls. Feeling curiosity and a sense of excitement spread through her, Cho cautiously tore off the crinkly brown paper off the large cardboard box. Opening the lid, Cho beamed at the dress that lay neatly folded within the box.

It was perfect.

Tom sat quietly in the corner of the Great Hall, a dark shadow upon the bright white surroundings and decorations for the ball. He was dressed in dark green robes and shiny black dress shoes, the essence of debonair according to the numerous giggling girls that kept casting flirtatious glances over his way. Tom gave them polite smiles, turning each and every one of them away when they asked him to dance. He had no interest in coming to the ball other than to keep up appearances as Head Boy. In fact, he hadn't even bothered to bring a date knowing that he wouldn't want to keep up with inane and useless chatter for the whole evening.

He idly swirled his glass of butterbeer, watching the caramel coloured contents for a moment before his eyes flickered towards the masses that looked like they were enjoying their evening. The students had dressed to the occasion tonight, a moving crowd of both subdued and brightly coloured robes. Some were helping themselves to the food tables, eating mini versions of sandwiches and pies where as some were on the dance floor, gracelessly moving to the orchestrated music.

But then Tom spied a couple moving among the others, a couple which moved with such grace and poise that it looked almost effortless. They swayed, spun and stepped in time with the music, their feet gliding across the polished floor with practiced ease. The young man was tall and solid looking, his brown hair flopping into his roguishly handsome face. One of his large hands encased a much paler smaller one, the other one poised on the girl's slim waist. The girl in question was undoubtedly Cho Chang, her trademark silky black strands pinned up tonight with hair combs and her body clad in an elegant royal blue gown made of some sort of flowing material that moved like water as she danced. Tom continued to watch the couple, bitterness colouring his mood as he saw how she laughed when that Pollux boy dipped her before pulling her back into his arms.

"Brooding in the corner again Riddle?"

Tom averted his eyes from the happy couple he was studying to face a red headed girl whose expression looked far too smug for the occasion. Though uninvited, she sank down into the chair next to him, scooping a flute of fruit punch from a waiter who just passed.

"Miss Stevens, are you not enjoying the festivities?" asked Tom, more out of obligation than genuine interest. He sipped his butterbeer again, setting down the half empty cup on the table next to him.

Arlene regarded him with a contemplative stare before proceeding "I'm enjoying the festivities plenty fine" she voiced "Although I could hardly say the same for you. Staring daggers at the poor boy won't help you get the girl Riddle. Unrequited love can be quite the pain can't it?"

Tom hid his reaction underneath an expression of calm neutrality "I have no idea what you are talking about"

She smirked, taking her time to down the rest of her drink before looking out towards the dance floor "You know Riddle, I always thought you were a strange one. So controlled and calm all the time you know? I even had the suspicion you didn't have the capability of being happy. But then Miss Cho Chang came along and you proved me wrong" she paused for a moment, giving a rather stunned Tom a sideways glance "I saw you smile for the first time in forever and you began to be a little less creepy than usual – you were almost human"

Tom let the insult of him being creepy pass, tilting his head towards Arlene though his eyes were still glued to the elegant couple before him "So what is it you are trying to say exactly?"

Arlene smiled widely, shrugging her shoulders before setting down her glass "I'm not trying to say anything, I am saying it"

Tom frowned at her cryptic words, "Other than insulting me, was there another purpose in this conversation?"

Arlene suddenly stood back up, her emerald dress skimming across the floor "She's good for you Riddle, but you, for some inexplicable reason that she would never tell me, are good for her too. I just hope you tell her before its too late"

"Wha-" began Tom, finally turning to face the strange girl. Just what did she mean he was good for her? He was poison to all those who associated with him, a blight on their existence – his own mother hadn't even bothered to stay around for him to come into the world! Tom didn't want to taint Cho too. He wanted her to be left just the way she is – compassionate, kind, forgiving and everything good that he wasn't.

But Arlene Stevens was already gone, her bright red hair bobbing in the sea of students.

Cho's feet were killing her but she couldn't bring herself to stop. She never thought she would have this much fun at the ball but then again, she didn't know that Henry could _dance_ either. He had been the perfect gentlemen all evening, even giving her a corsage of a beautiful white rose in full bloom that she hadn't expected. He complimented her and kept her company the entire evening, his presence a silent warning to other boys who looked upon the elusive 'new' student with interest.

She had even spotted Arlene, dancing with a tall blonde haired boy who looked like he had two left feet. He seemed quite taken with her though, an over eager smile spilling onto his face whenever Arlene smiled at him. Cho also noticed Henry deliberately steering them away from the couple, the slight rigidness of his posture betraying the feelings he tried to hide all evening. She wished she knew why Arlene didn't like Henry – he was close to perfection in Cho's opinion, and if he weren't such a brother figure to Cho she was sure she'd fall for him too. But Arlene never spoke about these things to Cho and she in turn respected her own privacy. She shouldn't meddle in things that weren't her business and she would hate for things to be strained between the two of them.

"Tired?" asked Henry, mistaking the faraway look in her eyes for fatigue "Maybe I should get you a drink?"

Cho shifted her feet, feeling the ache in the balls of her feet "Ye-"

"Excuse me" interrupted a smooth voice "May I have the next dance?"

Both Cho and Henry swivelled around to see Tom Riddle standing there, looking possibly even more intimidating in his dress robes that stood in stark contrast to his alabaster skin. His eyes were dark, darker than Cho had ever seen them and it was clear that his request was not really a question as much as a demand. He looked tense, giving Henry a cold look "That is, if it's fine with you"

Cho gave Henry a minute nod though he looked like he wanted to stay. Leaning in close, Henry placed a quick chaste kiss on her cheek, his warm breath tickling her ear.

"I'll just be over there" he whispered and Cho couldn't help but laugh as his withdrew.

"Stalker" she quipped, watching Henry's hazel eyes sparkle.

"You know it!" he agreed, giving Tom one more appraising look before leaving. When he was completely out of view, Tom stepped in front of her, closing his cool hands around her just as the music began. While he wasn't nearly as good as Henry, he was still better than most of the students there tonight. He followed through the steps with accuracy that seemed a little too forced and robotic, his posture rigid as his eyes brushed the top of her head.

"The company you keep is most interesting" he remarked, his hands tightening on her as he spoke, his long fingers leaving an imprint on her skin.

Cho frowned, looking at the area of pale skin just above his starched white collar "What do you mean by that?"

Tom's voice lowered, the sound smooth and persuasive like a lullaby "Miss Stevens and Mr Pollux. They're very protective of you aren't they?"

Hearing the suspicion in his voice made Cho's heart drop. She thought they were over this – the cryptic conversations, the bitterness and the evasiveness. She thought that perhaps Tom had actually begun to accept her as a friend like she had. Sighing, Cho lifted her gaze to look into Tom's impassive expression.

"What's really bothering you Tom?" she asked softly, keeping her voice just above a whisper. The students around them were looking at the odd couple, not bothering to hide their curiosity and attempts to eavesdrop.

"Nothing"

Cho smiled faintly, giving his hand a light squeeze "Then just stop talking and dance with me"

Surprisingly, Tom did as he was told without further interuption, relaxing as Cho began to melt into him. It was different to dancing with Henry, who was spontaneous and fun in his actions. Tom was silent, a stoic presence that filled her with warmth though his elegant hands were unnaturally cold. He didn't feel the need to speak as they swayed together, the only indication of his thoughts being his firm hold upon her and the way he subtly pulled her closer than what the dance and propriety required.

They were dancing for a while and Tom shifted on his feet, his voice uncharacteristically unsure and nervous "Cho, I-"

But he was cut off because at that moment, the tall stained glass of the windows of the Great Hall shattered, the music ceasing just as the screaming began.

**A/N:**_ I know this chapter isn't as long as it should be (given my long absence) but I decided to post what I have anyway to remind people that I am in fact, not dead (as of yet... I still have 4 major uni assessments due next week so it's very much debatable how alive I'm going to be at the end of it all). Thank you all for the continued support - I love you all more than these fresh cornflake cookies I just baked! (and they're pretty delicious...)_

_-DecoyDream :)_


	17. Grindelwald

_Previously on The Redemption... Cho goes to the Christmas Ball with Henry, Arlene is observant and Tom displays some uncharacteristic behaviour before being rudely interrupted..._

**Chapter 17- Grindelwald**

Cho's mind was whirring as the students panicked, whipping past her frozen form. The decorations crashed to the floor, joining the shards of window in a cacophony of noise. Jets of light burst in through the windows, the hexes and jinxes destroying the once beautiful hall. She distantly heard Tom telling her that they must go; his voice loud and urgent in her ear, but the only thing that registered in her mind was the name that Dumbledore was telling Headmaster Dippet as they ushered the students out of the hall.

Grindelwald.

Grindelwald was hosting an attack on Hogwarts but it wasn't possible. In the history books Cho had read, he had never even come close to Hogwarts. His budding army was situated in continental Europe and he had no purpose here. It didn't make sense, there was nothing to accomplish here – other than to bring fear and terror to students.

Dark wizards began to infiltrate the hall, their identities masked much like the Death Eaters of her time. Their mouths were exposed though, showing grimy yellowing teeth that were chipped and stretched into identical malevolent grins.

"We have to go! Now!" yelled Tom, his wand by his side as students continued to jostle past them. He aimed a jet of red light at a darkly robed wizard who was about to send a hex at a scared looking Slytherin girl, not bothering to watch as the man sunk to the floor unconscious. He tugged again at Cho's wrist, bringing her out of her stupor. Rather than run like Tom told her to, she pulled out the wand concealed in a secret pocket in the folds of her dress, brandishing it in front of her. If there was anything the Battle of Hogwarts during her time taught her was a rather large repertoire of offensive and defensive spells. As one of the older students, it was her duty to protect the younger ones from getting hurt.

"What do you think you're doing?" hissed Tom, his eyes ablaze "You are no match against Dark Wizards!"

Narrowing her eyes, Cho wrenched herself from his bruising grip "And neither are the other students. Go if you want Tom, but I'm staying here"

She ran off then, the sound of her heels reverberating off the stone floors lost in the chaos that surrounded them. Cursing, Tom took off after her, his wand at the ready.

* * *

Cho ran barefoot through the prickly bushes, glad that she had discarded her shoes a while back. The dark robed figure disappeared through the throng of trees that fringed the forbidden forest, a slight figure dangling over his broad shoulders. At first, it hadn't made sense why they were here but then she noticed something amidst the fighting. They weren't aiming to seriously maim anybody, only stunning them before taking the students away.

With a shiver, Cho had realised that Grindelwald was kidnapping students. Whether it was to send a message to the wizarding community or to train them to be useful in his power hungry army, Cho couldn't let that happen because it shouldn't have happened at all.

"Petrificus Totalus!" shouted Cho, still running as the figure dodged her spell. He ducked beneath a particularly low swinging branch, his cloak snagging on the twigs. Cho took advantage of his slowing gait due to the extra weight on his shoulder, quickening her pace and barely noticing the ragged state of her new dress "Deprimo! Expelliarmus!"

The jet of blue light hit the man square in the back, knocking him over and sending his captive rolling onto the forest floor. Cho caught up to the man who although winded from her spell, was still very much conscious. Firmly gripping the smooth handle of her wood, she pointed it directly towards the man whose face resembled a grinning skull.

"Not bad for a little girlie like you" he said, his voice heavily accented. He unashamedly looked her up and down, the look in his eyes making her feel like retching "My master could use someone like you"

Cho glared at him, her wand never wavering from the direction of his chest "So you are recruiting for Grindelwald's army then? Why Hogwarts?"

His black eyes gleamed in the moonlight, a wicked grin on his scarred face "And clever as well as beautiful too" he complimented though Cho felt sickened further "I won't tell you anything though. Not unless you plan on joining us"

"I will never join such a despicable group of people!" spat Cho, uncharacteristically venomous as she glared heatedly at the offender "You kidnap children and train them to murder, do you see nothing wrong with that?"

He sneered, "We're doing the world a favour. Mudbloods and muggles don't belong in our world – it's an abomination"

"Well, I hope you enjoy Azkaban then" she said with disgust, her wand raised "Incarcerous!"

Ropes flew out of thin air, bounding the man tightly to a tree he was leaning against. Silencing him, Cho scooped up his disarmed wand and bent to check on the student he had captured.

It was a boy, his features and slight frame suggesting that perhaps he was a 5th year student. He still wore his dress robes though his tie was missing and his clothes were streaked with mud from when he fell. Cho winced as she noticed the deep gash that ran across his cheek, chastising herself for being so careless when she had hexed one of Grindelwald's men. Cradling his head in her lap, Cho aimed her wand at the bloody gash and cried "Episkey!"

The skin began to knit together, morphing into a slightly puckered pink scar. Glad that her minor healing spell had worked, she murmured "Ennervate", watching the boy's bright green eyes flutter open before widening as he took in his surroundings. Scrambling to his feet, he looked wildly around the forest clearing before his eyes landed on his bound captor.

Clearing her throat, Cho spoke softly to the boy "What's your name?"

"Q-Quentin Brogley" he stammered, looking lost and confused "Where am i? What am I doing here?"

Cho wrapped her fingers around his wrist, tugging him out of the clearing and pointing towards an entrance at the back of the castle "The castle is under attack but the common rooms are still safe. Get there as quickly as you can and don't come out till the professors tell you to" instructed Cho, giving him a little push when he stared at her blankly. "Go!"

Quentin began running in the direction that she pointed in before pausing to look at the older student that had rescued him "Thank you". Cho smiled fondly at him for a moment before he took off, his dark dress robes blending in with the shadows of the night. Giving the captive a cursory look behind her, she stupefied him before heading back towards the castle herself. The Professors could find his body later to take to Azkaban, but for now she had more work to do.

* * *

As Tom saw the numerous stretchers being delivered to the Hospital Wing, he convinced himself he wasn't overly worried despite the fact he had not seen her since the attack first happened earlier in the evening. Cho was more than capable and her clear head and quick reflexes should allow her to remain unscathed. Tom himself had offered his help during the battle, rounding up a few of the dark wizards whose clumsy spell work and strategy almost amused him. For being a supposed dark and powerful wizard, Grindelwald was severely lacking in terms of recruitment. Most of the wizards and witches were mediocre at best, their spells inaccurate and weak. With the help of a few of the Prefects, the Professors were able to suppress the attack though a few managed to escape. As Tom repaired parts of the castle that had been compromised, he heard the Professors speaking to one another, their voices worried as they discussed the possibility of missing students. He also saw fleeting glimpses of Dumbledore, looking oddly strained with the absence of that infuriating smile on his face.

The clock struck midnight and it wasn't till now that he began to fret for her absence. An unbidden image came to mind - of Cho lying in a pool of her own blood, her eyes blank and unstaring. Swallowing back the nausea, Tom wondered where she was and hoped that she wasn't one of those captured. He wasn't sure what would happen if she was indeed kidnapped – would he go in search of her? Life would be a hell of a lot easier if she was wiped from his life like she never existed… His plans would still go forth without a hitch and he wouldn't have to find a way to accommodate her into his twisted and dark future. But did he want that anymore? And could he forget her that easily?

Abandoning his restorations on the parts of the hall that were destroyed, Tom left the chaotic scene in search of Cho. However, after checking more than half the castle as well as the numerous courtyards and towers, it proved to be more of a difficult task than he expected. Biting back the panic, Tom was about to alert Dippet of her disappearance when he saw a swirl of blue fabric round a corner just in front of him.

"Cho?"

"Tom?"

Without thinking, Tom closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her shivering frame. She looked exhausted, her dress torn and her hair coming out of it's neat up do. She was still beautiful though, her dark almond shaped eyes glinting in the semi darkness while she offered him a weary smile. Relief washed over him like a tidal wave, and he was surprised by the sheer force of it. Seeing her again was like breathing air after a long time of being without and suddenly, Tom was met with a scene with clarity. It was his same future but different at the same time. His path was still dark and twisted but there was light too – a source of light in the form of a smiling Asian girl who looked at him with such adoration and love that Tom felt breathless from the thought. Surely a feeling that overwhelmingly _right_ couldn't be a weakness? Regardless, Tom Riddle had already made up his mind.

Momentarily tuning out his thoughts, he turned towards the girl in question.

"Are you alright?" asked Tom, pulling her away at arm's length to inspect for any injuries. She nodded mutely, rubbing her cold arms. Belatedly, Tom shrugged off his suit jacket, draping it over her narrow shoulders. Taking her small hand in his, and astonished that she didn't object to his boldness, he let the warmth from her fingertips seep through him.

He smiled, the tension fading from the set of his shoulders.

"I'm glad"

* * *

_**A/N:** As always, thanks for the reviews guys! And i apoligise for not updating... I've been on uni holidays for the past month and I still have absolutely no idea what i do with my time. I have a feeling that i only write stories when procrastinating during the semester (which is a terrible habit). _

_- DecoyDream x_

_P.S. If you have a question, please leave a registered review so i can PM you about it! I like to try to avoid super long AN's when it's not applicable to everyone... And i cannot recall the username of the person who commented a while ago - but, i'm sorry about the incorrect timeline details. Sometimes i take the liberty of changing them for the purposes of the story, and sometimes i genuinely forget!_


	18. Ground Rules

_Previously on 'The Redemption'... Grindelwald crashes the party and Tom (inadvertently) lets Cho know that he cares for her more than he probably should._

**Chapter 18- Ground Rules**

It seemed that most of the school knew about the subtle change in Tom and Cho's relationship before they even consciously registered it. The gossip mill had begun during their partnership on their Ancient Runes project, deepened during their dance together at the Christmas Ball and then had completely run rampant when numerous sources saw them looking quite cosy indeed. There was no public displays of affection – no hand holding or tender kisses to be seen, but it was the look in his eyes when he saw her speaking to others and the way he would wound an arm around her waist as though to anchor her to him. There would be times when she would blush at his flagrant displays, her half hearted chiding quickly dissipating when he would smile indulgently at her. Tom Riddle never smiled like that throughout his 6 years at Hogwarts – it wasn't in his repertoire of expressions and he never saw the need to display such emotion that is until Cho Chang came along.

It was official – the unflappable and handsome Head Boy who had never shown any interest in female companionship now had a girlfriend.

But to Cho, who politely ignored the ill hidden whispers, could not fathom the words 'Tom Riddle', 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' being in the same sentence. The words seemed too juvenile to describe their relationship and yet Cho couldn't think of an alternative way to put it. She felt as though she had barely scraped the surface of whom he was and she still wasn't sure if she liked what she found beneath the carefully crafted façade. But for some reason, and perhaps it was naïve of her to think so, he seemed to care for her and that caused a feeling to awaken inside of her that she hadn't felt since Cedric had been with her.

She hadn't been prepared for Tom's swift interruption during Henry's dance with her nor the desperation then profound relief she saw in his eyes when he found her. Her qualms and reservations about the young man couldn't contend with such proof and she doubted even Tom Riddle was good enough of a liar to fake such emotion.

So despite her misgivings, Cho decided that it was good enough for now because of one simple reason - he appeared to like her, and she, against all reason, liked him too.

* * *

Deep beneath the castle in one of the unused classrooms, a group of a dozen hooded students stood in a loose semi-circle, their faces hidden in the darkness of the room. They had been summoned here ahead of schedule, for a special meeting it was said. The occupants had shivered at the words as passed on by Malfoy that morning at breakfast and they hoped it was not one of them being punished. The last time a 'special meeting' had been called, Yaxley had been tortured for his lack of subtleties regarding their plans. Their master had been most displeased, and sure enough, the others had learned their lesson from his little demonstration.

The torches on the damp walls flared just as the door quietly opened and a figure slid in through the gap. He confidently strode to the front of the room, situating himself before the group. The warm light cast shadows upon his face, highlighting his angular features as well as the perfectly polished 'Head Boy' badged pinned proudly to his chest.

"My Lord" greeted Abraxas, his head bowed in respect "What is the reason for our meeting today?"

Tom placed his clasped hands behind his back, pacing the floors with languid steps "I suppose that our meeting today is to reinforce some ground rules Malfoy" he said, his tone slow and measured "To ensure that none of my loyal followers do something that would… go against my wishes"

The group was silent, not daring to interrupt whatever he had to say next. Tom smirked faintly at their rapt attention, pausing in his steps.

"I'm sure it has come to many of your attention that I have been affiliated with a girl named Cho Chang recently?"

A quiet murmur of assent drifted across the room, though they didn't comment further.

"You are not to harm or associate with her or else I will make my displeasure known" said Tom calmly, though the threat in the undercurrents of his voice was quite clear he was serious. "If it comes to my attention that someone has disregarded my simple request, you will find yourself…" he stopped, eyeing a few of the more volatile and arrogant members of the group who shrunk back at his gaze "the victim of a most unfortunate _accident_"

A boy with dark hair and greyish eyes stepped forward, clearing his throat to speak "If I may ask my lord, how does Miss Chang fit in with our plans?"  
Tom's eyes flashed as he regarded Cygnus Black with narrowed eyes "That is no one's business but mine"

If Cygnus was unsatisfied with that answer, he knew better than to dispute it in front of Tom. Stepping back into line, silence descended upon the group again to which Tom smiled coldly.

"Very well then, now let us move on to other matters…"

Licentious grins spread across the faces of the young men and women in the room, eager to hear about the next steps in their road to glory.

* * *

The Christmas holiday was finally upon Hogwarts and as Cho watched Arlene and Henry wave goodbye from their carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade, she found herself anticipating the solitude. Although she had been reminded that Tom was staying at Hogwarts over the holidays, she noticed that he also enjoyed seclusion which suited Cho just fine.

Wrapping her coat tighter around herself, Cho headed back inside the castle whilst wondering what to do with the rest of her day. She had already wrapped the small amount of presents she was going to give tomorrow and there was no homework left for her to do. Staring out the window and into the oddly blue skies, Cho decided that with a warming charm, it would be a nice day for a leisurely broom ride around the pitch.

Ducking back into her dormitory to add a scarf and a pair of gloves to her outfit, Cho made her way to the quidditch pitch without seeing a soul on her way. Going into the storage room, she grabbed a broom as well as a snitch to practice on.

"Mind if I join you?"

Cho turned around, her hand already in her pocket and grasping her wand before it loosened as she saw who it was.

"Quentin? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at home for Christmas?"

The green eyed boy replied wryly, his eyebrows raised at her defensiveness "Shouldn't _you_ be at home for Christmas?"

"Touché" replied Cho, not wishing to delve into her fabricated life story. She grabbed another broom from the cupboard and tossed it to Quentin who caught it easily "Do you play quidditch?"

The boy shrugged, his boots crunching against the snow as he made his way across the pitch "No. My parents are muggles so I hadn't even heard of quidditch till I got to Hogwarts. I can fly decent enough not to fall off though"

Cho laughed while mounting her broom, "Very well then, let's see just how good you can fly"

* * *

Tom felt exceedingly distracted as he tried to finish his extra transfiguration reading that was required for the holidays. There was a sense of unease ravelling inside of him and he had nothing to explain its presence. Everything was going well for him – he was the top of the class, his followers were loyal and unquestioning for now and everything in regards to Cho Chang had panned out as nicely as he could have hoped for. So why was that feeling still there after all his reassurances?

Abandoning his reading material, Tom swept out of his dormitories to find Cho who seemed to have a knack of easing his troubles with just one smile.

He found her quite easily, at the first place he had looked. She was circling the pitch, letting a tiny winged golden ball flutter out of her hands before she skilfully caught it again. If Tom had it his way, he would never allow Cho to fly on a broomstick again, it was simply too dangerous. Cho Chang was as delicate as a butterfly, fragile and delicate and needed to be handled with care. But also true to her namesake, the only time she looked free was when she flew. When she was flying, Tom could see how unabashedly happy it made her. There was no sign of the vulnerable yet guarded girl he had first met in class, only a happy and carefree spirit that Tom could not crush even if he wanted to.

As Tom continued to observe, he was suddenly quite aware of another figure that haphazardly flew towards her. He hovered unsteadily, both hands gripped tightly on the handle of his broom as he spoke to Cho. Frowning at this unknown presence, Tom moved himself into plain sight. Spotting him far below, she spoke a few quick words to the boy before descending smoothly, the tips of her boots touching the icy grass before she slowed to a complete stop. Her cheeks were flushed from a combination of exertion and cold, her smile radiant as she saw him.

Even after all the times she looked at him, his stomach still dropped like the first time she did. Aware that they were now graced with the other boys' presence, Tom just gave her a brittle smile and a small greeting. Not noticing his frigid mood, Cho came quickly to his side and gave his un-gloved hand a squeeze.

The boy looked nervous as Cho introduced them. He was a 6th year Gryffindor, though he looked younger than his age suggested due to his thin build and boyish features. Tom had no idea when they had met each other's acquaintance but he knew better than to ask now. Even though he knew little of the female mind, common sense told him that his questioning would be viewed as a hostile interrogation.

"Dinner should be served soon" said Tom pointedly, wanting to get away "Perhaps we should make our way there?"

"Quentin! Why don't you join us?" added Cho brightly, missing the look on Tom's face "That is, if you don't have any other plans?"

Quentin shook his head, dark blond hair falling into his eyes as he smiled "Sure, why not?"

* * *

"You're mad at me aren't you?"

Tom didn't break his stride though he looked at her briefly "What gave you that impression?"

Cho bit down a smile "Your lovely, warm personality at dinner perhaps?"

Tom refused to be amused by her, his mood souring at the mention of dinner. Quentin had joined them for dinner though it was clear whose company he sought out. Throughout the entire meal, he had monopolized her attention with foolish stories and jokes that Tom cared nought for. Consequently, he spent most of dinner glowering at the boy like an attention starved petulant child. The Christmas break was meant to be a time when people weren't there to scrutinize them. It was a time when he could set the pace of their relationship without hindrances. It was a time when Tom thought that he could perhaps begin to subtly shape her into his ideals so it wouldn't come as to much of a shock when he would _eventually _tell her the truth.

But it was all ruined because Quentin Brogley had appeared, and would undoubtedly appear more often during the holidays; thus foiling his plans. For that, Tom instantly hated the boy the first moment he saw him on the quidditch pitch.

"Is this about Quentin?" asked Cho quietly, her tone mildly curious

"No" replied Tom resolutely though that seemed to certify that that was the problem.

"What don't you like about him? Maybe if you actually spoke to him at dinner then you would see that he's-"

"He's what?" asked Tom, rounding on her "Funny? Clever? But of course he is, because you made that plenty clear during your conversations with him earlier"

Cho looked unfazed, though her eyebrows were raised "Actually" she said, her tone clipped "I was going to say 'nice'"

Tom fell silent though he was seething inside. Half because of how easy it was to lose control of his emotions around her and half because of the boy.

"I don't like him" Tom eventually conceded, breaking out of his stony glare

"You don't have to" replied Cho airily, brushing a lock of air away from her face.

"I think you misunderstand me-" began Tom before being swiftly interrupted by Cho

"I think you misunderstand _me_" said Cho, giving him a sharp look "I'm not going to ask you for permission to befriend other people Tom. It's not up to you who I associate with."

Tom gave her a sardonic look, not liking this strange rebellious attitude she had garnered "It's for your own good"

Cho rolled her eyes, disbelieving of what Tom was saying "Quentin is not a mass murderer"

"I'm not just talking about Quentin"

"Then who are you talking about? Henry? _Arlene?_" asked Cho, her righteous anger making her cheeks flush "That's a bit hypocritical considering the company you keep!"

Tom's voice was soft and dangerous, as though he was tenuously holding onto his temper "The company _I_ keep?"

Cho took a deep breath, gazing into his eyes steadily. This conversation was heading in the wrong direction and the last thing she wanted was a fight just before Christmas time – especially with something as trivial as this. But at the same time, she didn't always want to surrender to what Tom wanted – a relationship should be full of compromises, not power plays and one sided decisions.

"I didn't mean it like that" said Cho slowly, taking a step towards him. His eyes regarded her suspiciously, his posture still tense and statue like "I just wish you would stop treating me like a child. I'm not as fragile as you like to think I am"

Tom hesitantly raised his arm, using his long pale fingers to gently brush against the soft skin of her cheek. He watched as her eyelids fluttered shut, her breathing uneven as his breath fanned across her face.

"Aren't you?"

A smile formed on her lips at his whispered words and she shook her head resolutely "Don't you trust me?"

Tom froze, letting his hand drop to his side. Did he trust her? If asked 2 months ago he would have said a firm 'no'. Even as a child Tom had never trusted anyone except himself. They all let him down in the end, rendering it foolish to hope for otherwise. But Cho was unlike anyone he had met before. Her dark brown eyes looked at him earnestly, so full of the blinded acceptance that he had tried to attain all his life. She didn't care about his blood purity or house rivalry, or even the stares and whispers that followed her because of him. She didn't mind that he had no money to his name and the fact that he had been brought up in an orphanage. He couldn't give her anything except himself – a boy who couldn't love but had learned to care.

Concerned by his silence, Cho looked up at Tom who watched her with an unreadable expression on his face. About to ask what the matter was, she was caught unaware by a pair of lips that descended on hers. Caught by surprise, it took her a moment to register what was happening. She was kissing Tom Riddle in the middle of a deserted hallway in 1944 and she was _enjoying_ it. There were no feelings of guilt in her addled brain, only the sensation of his lips pressed to hers as his fingers dug into the soft flesh of her waist. It wasn't like anything she had experienced before. Kissing Cedric had been warm and comforting while with Harry it had been full of heartache and regrets. But with Tom, it was all unspoken passion and searing touches. While he could never tell her just how much she meant to him, he showed it through his burning kisses and lingering fingertips. In that moment, she was consumed by the entirety of him. The only thing that existed was his scent, his taste and the feel of him against her until they broke apart.

Tom's usual pale complexion was flushed a healthy pink, his dark eyes oddly bright and alive looking. His arms were still around her waist, looking at Cho with an emotion akin to amazement. She blushed under his stare, her voice soft and hesitant under his scrutiny.

"What was that for?"

Tom dipped down to kiss her again, longer this time, smirking as she pulled away breathlessly with a slightly dazed expression on her face.

"Have you really no idea what you do to me Cho Chang?" mused Tom out loud, the sweet taste of her still on his lips.

Cho laughed, the sound echoing off the stone walls "Oh come on Romeo, let's get back to the dormitories before the caretaker hangs us up for it"

Tom smiled, taking her hand in his as they walked, not caring who or what a 'Romeo' was.

* * *

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Sorry about the complete irregularity of my updates guys - I never seem to have enough time to just sit down and write these days. But thank you to all those who reviewed this story or favourited/followed - (other than food) you are the best type of motivation! _

_And in case you were wondering, I was a little iffy about this chapter and I expect a lot of you would be too. It's understandable - Tom and Cho being together so quickly? Tom kissing Cho? And probably the most pressing question - Why on earth is Tom Riddle being so sweet and sentimental?! But don't worry guys, it's only a matter of time before he flips the switch... ;)_

_Anyway, enough of me talking (...typing?). I really hope you all liked this chapter. Review, if you like!_

_- DecoyDream x_


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